Kansas Football Places Eight on Academic All-Big 12 Squad

Nov. 17, 2011

IRVING, Texas – Kansas senior tight end Tim Biere and junior offensive guard Trevor Marrongelli were selected to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for the third time in their career and were joined by six of their teammates. The Big 12 announced its annual academic all-conference teams Thursday with 134 student athletes named to the two teams.

Senior linebacker Brian Blackwell, junior offensive tackle Gavin Howard, senior wide receiver Chase Knighton, senior quarterback Quinn Mecham, junior defensive tackle Shane Smith and redshirt freshman safety Keeston Terry joined Biere and Marrongelli on the first team. Blackwell was one of six players honored with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Biere and Marrongelli give KU 14 three-time first-team selections in program history. Only four Jayhawks have ever earned the honor four times.

Biere, a senior tight end from Omaha, Neb., is a marketing major, while Marrongelli, a junior from Austin, Texas, is majoring in finance.

Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, the football academic all-league squad consisted of 86 first-team members combined with 48 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.