FAIRBANKS - Grace Milliken, a junior forward on the Alaska Nanooks women’s basketball team was recently named to the Academic All-District 8 College Division women’s basketball second team by ESPN The Magazine

Milliken, a graduate of Tri-Valley High School, is a biological science major who maintains a 4.0 grade point average at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Academic All-District 8 College Division team is comprised of NCAA Division II and Division III, NAIA and junior college players in the western United States.

The 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District teams were selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Milliken has appeared in 26 games during her three seasons with the Nanooks, averaging 3.5 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. Due to a devastating knee injury last year, Milliken has played in just two games this season for a total of 20 minutes.

She played in 18 games last season averaging 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Milliken is the first women’s basketball player to garner Academic All-District honors since Hutchison High School girls basketball coach Jenny Benson in 1989. Benson also coached the Nanooks from 1994-2003.

The District VIII College Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and British Columbia.

To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.3 cumulative GPA and a starter or significant reserve on her team.