May 01, 2013

Kansas Rowing Sees 14 Earn Academic All-Big 12 Honors

May 1, 2013

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Junior Caty Clements achieved elite status, being one of 12 rowers in the Big 12 Conference nominated with a 4.0 GPA to lead the Kansas rowing team’s 14 total Academic All-Big 12 honorees, released Wednesday by the league office.

The Big 12 Conference named 105 student-athletes to the list, and Kansas had a strong presence with 10 Jayhawks collecting first team honors and four receiving second team recognition.

“We’re very proud of what our student-athletes do in the classroom,” Kansas head coach Rob Catloth said. “Having success on the water and in the classroom is important to the program and important to Kansas Athletics. We’re very proud of the women on the team for what they’ve accomplished in their fields of study.”

Clements, an accounting major, led the Jayhawks on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team with her 4.0 mark. Fellow juniors Kelsie Fiss (pharmacy), Jessica Miller (exercise science), Elizabeth Scherer (exercise science/pre-nursing) and Emma Umbarger (exercise science/pre-nursing) were also named to the first team.

Emily Starr (exercise science/pre-nursing) was the Jayhawks’ senior representation on the first team, while the sophomore class saw four student-athletes claim first-team status: Jenni Hartzler (mathematics), Andrea Joyce (English), Sarah Lasini (community health) and Abbey Lozenski (human biology/pre-med).

Sophomores Julia Alvey (business) and Brooke Thuston (accounting), junior Caity Decker (psychology) and senior Cheyenne Verdoorn (exercise science) were tabbed Academic All-Big 12 Second Team award winners.

For the conference, Oklahoma led all teams with 24 first team honorees, while Texas’ 25 members (18 first team, seven second team) were the most total.

Eighty-four student-athletes earned first team distinction, while 21 comprised the second team.

First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify, 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 their 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.

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