November 13, 2012

Kansas Posts Eight on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team

Nov. 13, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Led by three-time Academic All-Big 12 first team honoree, senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree, the Kansas volleyball team earned eight first team recognitions as announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon.

Kansas led the Big 12 with its eight first team selections. 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.

Tolefree was joined by fellow three-time honoree (twice first team, once second team) in redshirt junior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc. Juniors Jaime Mathieu, Erin McNorton and Brianne Riley were named to the first team for the second time in their careers. Sophomores Chelsea Albers and Sara McClinton and junior Amy Wehrs each earned the award for the first time.

A Lawrence native, Tolefree is preparing for medical school upon graduation while holding down a .295 attack percentage and averaging more than one block per set in 2012. At Kansas, Tolefree is second all-time in career block assists. Her counterpart, Jarmoc, is a chemical engineering major and was one of the Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District winners awarded last week. She is currently in consideration for Academic All-America. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Jarmoc is the Big 12 leader in attack percentage and ranks in the top-five in kills, blocks and points per set.

Mathieu is an exercise science/pre-physical therapy major and has started 13 matches this season, including one at libero. She has seen time in every set this season and is averaging 1.95 digs per set.

McNorton has led the Big 12 in assists for the majority of the season. Majoring in management and leadership, McNorton’s 11.78 assists per set rank seventh in the NCAA.

Riley, a community health/nursing major, is the only player in the Big 12 with 500-plus digs and is second in the league with 5.17 digs per set. The Naperville, Ill., native needs just 61 digs to break KU’s all-time digs record as a junior.

Wehrs rounds out the junior honorees as an exercise science/pre-physical therapy major and has played 19 matches this season as a defensive and serving specialist.In the first year they were eligible for academic honors, sophomores Albers and McClinton also earned first team spots. McClinton is in the league’s top-10 in kills per set, while Albers is an impactful six-rotation player.

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.

Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Chelsea Albers – So., Exercise Science/Pre-PT
Caroline Jarmoc – RS Jr., Chemical Engineering
Jaime Mathieu – Jr., Exercise Science/Pre-PT
Sara McClinton – So., Human Biology/Pre-Med
Erin McNorton – Jr., Management and Leadership
Brianne Riley – Jr., Community Health/Nursing
Tayler Tolefree – Sr., Human Biology/Pre-Med
Amy Wehrs – Jr., Exercise Science

UP NEXT
The No. 22 Jayhawks will take the court again on Wednesday at 6 p.m., when they host Oklahoma at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center.

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