Aldrich, Reed Earn Academic Recognition

March 3, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

For the second year in a row, Kansas basketball juniors Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed were named to the Academic All-Big 12 squad, the conference office announced Wednesday. Both student-athletes were honored as members of the 2010 Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

This marks the second year in a row Reed has been selected to the first team. A native of Burlington, Kan., Reed is majoring in exercise science, with a minor in business. He has appeared in every game of the 2009-10 season, providing solid minutes off the bench. He is averaging 4.3 points per game in 15.0 minutes. He has been a major factor in the Jayhawks’ three-point game, as he has knocked down 30 treys throughout the season, which is the third-highest on the KU squad.

Aldrich, a communication studies major, earned his first Academic All-Big 12 First Team honor, after having been named to the second team in 2009. In addition to the league recognition, Aldrich was recently named the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Basketball Academic All-American of the Year.

The Bloomington, Minn., native has started all 27 games this year, averaging 11.4 points per game and a team-leading 10.0 rebounds per game. He has also blocked 106 shots so far in the season, for an impressive 3.7 bpg average. Aldrich was the co-preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and has twice been named Big 12 Player of the Week.

To qualify for Acadmeic All-Big 12 recognition, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his team’s scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.

The academic all-league squad consists of 12 first team members combined with nine on the second team. First team members include those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

2010 Academic All-Big 12 MEN’S BASKETBALL Team

First Team (3.20-plus GPA)

Name, School Class Major Hometown
Josh Lomers, Baylor Sr. Human Resource Management & Finance Boerne, Texas
Trey Eckloff, Colorado So. Business-Finance Englewood, Colo.
Levi Knutson, Colorado Jr. Business-Finance Littleton, Colo.
Cole Aldrich, Kansas Jr. Communication Studies Bloomington, Minn.
Tyrel Reed, Kansas Jr. Exercise Science/Business-Minor Burlington, Kan.
Chris Merriewether, Kansas State Sr. Finance Jacksonville, Fla.
Victor Ojeleye, Kansas State So. Business Administration Ottawa, Kan.
Beau Gerber, Oklahoma Sr. Mechanical Engineering Winfield, Kan.
Dogus Balbay, Texas Jr. Middle Eastern Studies Istanbul, Turkey
Damion James, Texas Sr. Education/Social Work Nacogdoches, Texas
Gary Johnson, Texas Jr. Education/Social Work Houston, Texas
Shawn Schepel, Texas A&M Sr. Nuclear Engineering Flower Mound, Texas

Second Team (3.00 to 3.19 gPA)

Name, School Class Major Hometown
Casey Crawford, Colorado Jr. Political Science Overland Park, Kan.
Laurence Bowers, Missouri So. Undeclared Arts & Sciences Memphis, Tenn.
J.T. Tiller, Missouri Sr. Business Marietta, Ga.
Ryan Wright, Oklahoma Sr. Human Relations-Graduate Mississauga, Ontario
James Anderson, Oklahoma State Jr. Education Junction City, Ark.
Justin Mason, Texas Sr. Education/Social Work Amarillo, Texas
Alexis Wangmene, Texas So. French Maroua, Cameroon
Robert Lewandowski, Texas Tech So. Exercise and Sports Sciences Overland Park, Kan.
Mike Singletary, Texas Tech Jr. Business Administration Humble, Texas