Eleven Jayhawks earn Academic All-Big 12 honors

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Eleven members of the Kansas baseball program were recognized by the Big 12 Conference as the league office unveiled its 2017 Academic All-Big 12 Baseball Team Tuesday afternoon.
 
Five Jayhawks were named as repeat honorees in junior shortstop Matt McLaughlin (business administration), junior lefty reliever Blake Weiman (health & physical education), redshirt-junior righty Sean Rackoski (mechanical engineering), junior first baseman Owen Taylor (sport management) and senior first baseman Marcus Wheeler (sport management). McLaughlin, Rackoski, Taylor and Weiman racked up Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors, while Wheeler earned Academic All-Big 12 Second Team recognition.
 
“I am really proud of the successes these young men are having not only on the field, but in the classroom,” head coach Ritch Price said. “Compliments to (associate athletics director) Glenn Quick and the rest of the academic staff for providing the tools for our men to succeed.”
 
Joining the foursome on the first team were seniors outfielder MJ Farthing (human biology) and lefty Jeremy Kravetz (journalism). The sextet made up what were 52 total first-team honorees from around the conference achieving a 3.20-plus GPA (grade-point average).
 
Sophomores left fielder Devin Foyle (sport management), right-handed pitcher Jackson Goddard (sport management) and righty Blake Goldsberry (sport management), and junior catcher Tanner Gragg (business management), along with Wheeler were all tabbed with second-team recognition by way of a GPA of 3.00-3.19.
   
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. First team honorees hold a GPA of 3.20 or higher, while the second team recognizes those with a GPA of 3.00-3.19.
 
Kansas wraps up its regular season with a four-game road swing, beginning Tuesday night, May 16, at Creighton.
 
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