San Jose, Calif. - San Jose State's Ta'Rea Cunnigan, a sophomore guard on the women's basketball team, has earned Capital One Academic All-District VIII honors as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) membership.  For Cunnigan, this is the first year she has been eligible for the distinction.

A native of Winchester, Calif., the two-year starter from Chaparral High has a 3.61 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in kinesiology. As one of five Academic All-District VIII award winners, Cunnigan advances to a national ballot as one of 40 candidates eligible for 2013 Academic All-America honors in women's basketball.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be enrolled at his/her current institution for at least one year, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or higher on a 4.00 scale, be a starter or key reserve, and have a minimum of sophomore athletics standing at his/her institution.

This year Cunnigan is averaging 21.0 points and 3.5 steals per game, and ranks 12^th in the nation in both categories.  She is the only women's basketball player in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and one of just four sophomores in the nation named to a 2013 Academic All-District team. 

District VIII covers schools in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia and the Yukon.

2013 Academic All-District District VIII Women's Basketball Team

Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford, Junior, International Relations

Taryn Wicijowski, Utah, Junior, Biology & Psychology

Ta'Rea Cunnigan, San Jose State, Sophomore, Kinesiology

Sammie Jensen, Utah Valley, Senior, Biology