FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MATT POMRANKE '11 NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-STATE HONORABLE MENTION 

Michigan City, Indiana - March 17, 2011 --   Marquette Catholic High School Principal, James G. White announces today that senior Matthew Pomranke has been named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Academic All-State Team (Honorable Mention.)

Sixty-one Indiana high school seniors -- 30 boys and 31 girls -- have been chosen as first-team Academic All-State by the Indiana Basketball

Coaches Association, it was announced Wednesday (March 16).

In addition, 76 more boys and 105 more girls were recognized as honorable mention Academic All-State, IBCA executive director Steve Witty said.

The IBCA Academic All-State team is a program where academic prowess and athletic prowess both are considered in the selections. Items such as grade-point average, college board scores and academic class rank are considered along with athletic performance in areas such as points per game, rebounds per game, assists per game and shooting percentage.

"The quality of these student-athletes shows that success in academics and success in athletics are not separate entities," Witty said. "Rather, in many cases, a player's success in the classroom directly contributes to his or her success on the floor."

Mr. White states, "We are proud of Matthew and proud that others recognize the caliber of person that he is.  In everything that he does, Matthew gives 110%.  He is a true role model to his peers and another great example of a Marquette Catholic High School student."

Blazer Head Basketball Coach, Donovan Garletts states, "I am very excited to see Matthew be honored with this prestigious group of young men.  He has a great work ethic on and off the court.  He is very deserving of this.  Matthew is the type of student-athlete that Marquette is all about, and it is our goal to continue his tradition."

IBCA-member head coaches from schools across the state may nominate their seniors who meet criteria that include a 3.5 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, a class rank in the upper 25 percent of one's class, an SAT score of 1,500 or an ACT score of 23. Nominees also are to have been starting players in at least 90 percent of their team's games when physically able.

Once nominations are received, an IBCA committee reviews the information and determines awards for first team and honorable mention.

Those selected will receive certificates from the IBCA for their honor. Those certificates will be distributed to coaches at the IBCA Spring Clinic on April 29-30 in Indianapolis. The coaches then present the certificates to the honored players in May.

The IBCA has selected an Academic All-State team for boys since 1973. The program was expanded to include a girls' Academic All-State team in 1980.