Nov. 23, 2009

Center Valley, Pa.--Senior Elizabeth Betterbed, who closed out a prestigious four-year career as a member of the Army women's soccer team, picked up her second academic award over a week's span with her selection as a Rhodes Scholar. She joins classmate Alexandra Rosenberg as West Point claimed two of the 32 Americans to receive this year's Rhodes Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients are selected on the criteria of scholastic talent, leadership ability, integrity of character, selflessness and physical prowess. Both Betterbed and Rosenberg will have the opportunity to continue their education at Oxford, England, for two years. Since 1923, West Point has earned this achievement 90 times ranking it fourth nationally, while Betterbed and Rosenberg are the ninth and tenth female Cadets to receive this honor.

A Mechanical Engineering major, Betterbed holds the second highest leadership position among the 4,400 Corps of Cadets as the Deputy Brigade Commander. She ranks first in her class overall (academic, physical and military disciplines) and is second academically. Betterbed will complete a Master of Philosophy in Geography and the Environment at Oxford

A native of Fox Island, Wash., Betterbed earned awards in mechanical engineering by conducting research for the Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review and studied in Mexico as an exchange student. She is a member of a team of cadets currently designing and building a powered prosthetic foot to allow wounded Soldiers to have the ability to run.

A four-year varsity letterwinner, Betterbed is a two-time CoSIDA.ESPN The Magazine Academic First Team All-America (2008 and 2009). She is the first women's soccer play to earn consecutive first team academic All-America accolades and the first named a Rhodes Scholar.

A three-time Patriot League academic honor roll selection recently awarded a scholarship from the New York post of the Society of American Military Engineers, Betterbed has been a starter on the pitch since her freshman year. She led the team in scoring this year with three goals and four assists for 10 points along with a pair of game winners after being switched to midfield. Last year, she was named a league all-star as a defender along with being named to the Patriot League all-tournament team after leading Army to its second conference title and first NCAA bid in school history.

The last Army athlete to earn a Rhodes Scholarship was Dan Helmer, a 2003 graduate of the United States Military Academy and a four-year member of the Army gymnastics team, in 2004. Over 20 Army athletes have been named a Rhodes Scholar.

Betterbed is also a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. She finished first in the fan voting, which accounts for one-third of the total with the remaining two-thirds determined by NCAA Division I coaches and national media members. The winner will be announced during the semifinal game of the NCAA Women's College Cup on Friday, Dec. 4.