ANNVILLE, Pa. - Caitlin Murphy has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's basketball after a season in which she helped lead the Dutchmen to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Murphy, a senior guard from Minersville, has built a reputation at Lebanon Valley for being one of the athletics department's most driven student-athletes. She currently holds a 3.92 GPA while triple majoring in English, sociology, and international studies. She has studied abroad in the Netherlands as a recipient of an Arnold Experiential Grant, and has been active in multiple charities, including Hearts for Haiti, Habitat For Humanity, the Rotary Club, and Special Olympics. The women's basketball program has been a big supporter of breast cancer charities including the American Cancer Society and the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute.

On the court, Murphy exudes her brand of leadership as a two-year team captain. She earned second-team all-Commonwealth Conference honors as a senior, leading the team to a 26-3 overall record and a second straight Commonwealth Conference title. She averaged 6.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with 42 steals and 27 blocks, and led the conference in free-throw shooting at .852. Her 115 consecutive games played - appearing in every possible contest since her freshman season - is an LVC record.

To be nominated, candidates must be seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.2 who competed in a 2011-12 winter sport. Awards are based evenly on academic record and athletic prowess, and are taken from a pool of candidates from both the Commonwealth and Freedom conferences.