Jayhawks Well Represented on Academic All-Big 12 Lists
May 8, 2012
LAWRENCE, Kan. – A total of 27 Kansas student-athletes have been named to the 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s & Women’s Track & Field Teams, the league office announced Tuesday. The conference listed 156 female student-athletes, including 140 first team members and 16 second team honorees. On the men’s side, 116 earned honors, with 86 first team and 30 second team selections.
Twelve Jayhawk women were on the first team, led by seniors Rebeka Stowe and Julia Cummings who earned a spot on the team for the third time in their careers. Senior Cori Christensen and juniors Heather Bergmann, Sarah Hedberg and Kathleen Thompson were on the first team for the second time in their careers, while senior Jamaica Collins, junior Denesha Morris and sophomores Timmie Morris, Demi Payne and Abby Row all took home the honor for the first time.
Also joining the first team for the women was senior Allison Mayfield who was named to the track and field academic All-Big 12 First Team for the first time. However, Mayfield was a three-time member of the volleyball academic first team each year she was eligible, from 2009-11, as a member of Ray Bechard’s KU volleyball squad.
On the men’s side, seven KU student-athletes earned a spot on the first team. Seniors Austin Bussing and Sean Proehl were three-time honorees, while senior Zach Zarda was honored for the second time in his career. Jayhawks earning a first team nod for the first time included junior Kaman Schneider and sophomores Dalen Fink, Josh Munsch and Nick Seckfort.
Three Kansas women and five Jayhawk men were second-team selections. For the women, juniors Andrea Geubelle and Tessa Turcotte along with sophomore Devin Wiegers were all named to the team. For the men, seniors Nick Canton, Joel Krause and Darryl Trotter, junior Josh Baden and sophomore Alex Bishop made the second team list.
Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, the track and field academic all-league squad consisted of 226 first team members combined with 46 on the second team. First team members consist of 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.
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.
This weekend the Jayhawks travel to Manhattan, Kan., for the 2012 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, taking place May 11-13 at the R.V. Christian Track Complex on the campus of Kansas State University.
