Kansas Football Places League-Best 19 on Academic All-Big 12 Teams
Nov. 15, 2012
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Highlighted by senior center Trevor Marrongelli, who earned his fourth selection to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, Kansas football placed a league-best 19 student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 teams. The league office released their list of academic honorees Thursday.
KU’s 19 players that earned mention on the first and second teams were not only the most in the conference this year, but the most by a Kansas football team in the Big 12 era. The 2012 total passes the previous high of 17, which the team set in 2010.
Senior safety Brandon Hawks was one of just three student-athletes in the league to be nominated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Other first team members included offensive lineman Dylan Admire, halfback Ryan Burton, offensive lineman Gavin Howard, cornerback Tyler Patmon, snapper/tight end Justin Puthoff, halfback James Sims and defensive lineman Shane Smith.
Second team honorees included: quarterback Michael Cummings, holder/quarterback Blake Jablonski, offensive lineman Pat Lewandowski, linebacker Jake Love, defensive end/linebacker Toben Opurum, wide receiver Daymond Patterson, cornerback Corrigan Powell, cornerback JaCorey Shepherd, fullback Nick Sizemore and wide receiver Andrew Turzilli.
Marrongelli becomes just the fourth Jayhawk to earn first team honors on the Academic All-Big four times in his career. He is also the first since Jonathan Lamb, who was honored on the first team from 2003-06.
Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, the football academic all-league squad consisted of 82 first-team members combined with 49 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. True 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.
Kansas will host Iowa State Saturday on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., and can be seen nationally on Fox Sports Net.
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