DURHAM, N.C. - Duke junior
Mason Plumlee has been named a Capital One Academic All-America first team selection as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday.
Plumlee, a 6-10 forward from Warsaw, Ind. (Christ School [N.C.]), is among the top post players in the ACC. He ranks second in the league with 9.7 rebounds per game, third with 10 double-doubles, 23rd in scoring with 11.2 points per game and seventh with 42 blocks. Plumlee's play in the paint has helped the fifth-ranked Blue Devils to a 23-4 overall record and a 10-2 mark in the ACC.
Along with his success on the court, Plumlee owns a 3.44 grade point average as a double major in Psychology and Cultural Anthropology. He is the third Duke player to earn Academic All-America first team honors and the first since Shane Battier earned that distinction in back-to-back years in 2000 and 2001. Ten total Duke players have earned Academic All-America recognition.
Plumlee picked up his second academic major of Cultural Anthropology this year after being inspired during Duke's preseason trip to China and Dubai over the summer. He now balances both fields of study along with a rigorous Duke basketball schedule and has still managed to put together his best season in a Duke uniform.
Plumlee has been a key component of a Duke team that ranks No. 5 in the Associated Press Poll, No. 4 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the NCAA RPI. He has started 48 consecutive games and is on pace to set career highs this season in rebounds, scoring, assists, dunks and steals. He ranks sixth on Duke's all-time blocks list, tied for fourth on the career dunks list and is also on pace to break Duke's single-season dunks record held by Shelden Williams.
Plumlee and the Blue Devils take on No. 15 Florida State this evening in Tallahassee, Fla., in a showdown between two teams currently tied for first place in the ACC. The game tips off at 7 p.m.