Emsick, Agafonov Named to Academic All-District Team

June 7, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Senior Abby Emsick and junior Egor Agafonov were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Seven First Team Wednesday for their accomplishments in the classroom as well as in their respective field events. Both Emsick and Agafonov qualified for the finals in the discus and hammer throw, respectively, Wednesday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Sacramento, Calif. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Emsick, a Council Bluffs, Iowa, native and nursing major was recently named to her third-straight Academic All-Big 12 First Team, the second time in three years that she has posted a perfect 4.00 GPA. On the track, Emsick, is the school record holder in the discus (180-10) and ranks in the top five in three events: the indoor and outdoor shot put, throwing 49-3.5 and 49-8.25, respectively, and the discus.

At the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday, Emsick finished ninth in the preliminaries with a throw of 170-11 (52.10m) and will compete in the event’s finals on Friday evening at 5:15 CST.

Agafonov, the 2007 NCAA Indoor weight throw champion, is an economics major from Sarapul, Russia. He is the two-time defending Big 12 champion in both the weight throw and the hammer throw and the school record holder in the hammer throw. He also holds the Big 12 Meet record for the hammer throw.

A three-time All-American, Agafonov also recently won his second-straight NCAA Midwest region hammer throw crown by setting a new meet record in the event. He was also recently named to the Academic-All Big 12 First Team.

Wednesday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Agafonov qualified for the finals in the hammer throw by finishing fourth in the preliminaries with a toss of 218-03 (66.52m). He will look to capture the NCAA hammer throw title at 3:15 pm CST on Friday.

The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America and All-District teams in 12 programs, including men’s track & field/cross country and women’s track & field/cross country. To be nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her career.