ATLANTA, Ga. - On Friday, January 15th in Atlanta, Ga., former Duke University women's golfer Amanda Blumenherst was presented with a NCAA Top VIII Award at the NCAA Convention in Atlanta, Ga. Blue Devil Head Coach Dan Brooks was in attendance and handed her the award.
Blumenherst, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., was one of eight recipients on Friday evening. Other award winners were Tim Tebow (Florida - Football), Courtney Kupets (Georgia-Gymnastics), Venessa Lee (Pittsburg State - Cross Country/Indoor & Outdoor Track), Jeff Lerg (Michigan State - Ice Hockey), Kent Raymond (Wheaton (Illinois) - Basketball), Brittany Rogers (Alabama - Softball) and Sarah Stevens (Arizona State - Indoor & Outdoor Track).
The Top VIII award recognizes current student-athletes who have completed their athletics eligibility for their success on the fields and courts, in the classroom and in the community. Recipients will be honored January 15, 2010 at the NCAA Honors and Delegates Celebration. Blumenherst became the first Duke student-athlete in school history to receive the Top VIII Award.
Blumenherst closed out her collegiate career as one of the best Division I women's golfers in NCAA history. She registered 12 victories, 78 rounds of even or under par, 37 top 10 finishes and 41 top 20 finishes in 44 tournaments. Blumenherst earned National Player of the Year and the Golfstat Cup her first three years becoming the first to do so three consecutive seasons. She was also a two-time winner of the Honda Award and the first three-time winner of the Nancy Lopez Award, which is presented to the top amateur golfer in the nation.
The 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur Champion, Blumenherst completed her Duke career as one of the most decorated student-athletes in Blue Devil history.
As consistent as she was on the golf course, Blumenherst was even better in the classroom as she received a degree in history along with a minor in English and Theatre Studies in May, while compiling a 3.825 grade-point average over her career. In her final semester at Duke, Blumenherst collected a 4.0 grade-point average.
As a senior, Blumenherst won the Dinah Shore Trophy Award for the second straight year, which is presented to the NCAA Division I golfer who has an overall grade-point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, played in at least 50.0 percent of her team's scheduled events, maintained a scoring average of 78.0 or less and demonstrated leadership skills and/or extraordinary community affairs work. She became the first ever repeat winner of the award.
Blumenherst is also a four-time ACC Honor Roll selection, four-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree and three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America, four-time NGCA Scholar All-America and was the 2008 and 2009 ACC Women's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
She was an active member of Athletes in Action and Duke's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including spearheading a holiday initiative that annually raised more than $1,800 to adopt families. She volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Urban Ministries Soup Kitchen and MLK Day Meals for Millions during her time at Duke.
Blumenherst is coming off winning the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament on Dec. 7 to earn her LPGA Tour card.