Big 12 names 14 KU runners to All-Academic squads

IRVING, Texas – Fourteen members of the Kansas men’s and women’s cross country teams received Academic All-Big 12 recognition, announced Thursday by the league office. Headlining the group was junior Hannah Dimmick who earned a spot on the first team with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
 
A total of nine KU women were honored on the list of 70 total student-athletes, all of which made the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Seniors Nashia Baker (journalism), Malika Baker (international studies), Courtney Coppinger (biology) and Dimmick (exercise science) made the prestigious list for the third year in a row, while seniors Jennifer Angles (strategic communications) and Hannah Richardson (sport science) were listed on the first team for the second time. 
 
Dimmick claimed a spot on the first team after she was one of 12 female runners in the conference to post a perfect 4.0 GPA for the third-straight season.
 
Joining them on the first team for the first time were junior Lydia Saggau (strategic communications) and redshirt freshmen Riley Cooney (biology) and Emmie Skopec (exercise science).
                                                                       
The Jayhawk men featured four first-team selections. Senior James Hampton (business administration) earned a spot on the list for the third-straight year. He was joined by juniors Chris Melgares (exercise science) and Carson Vickroy (meteorology), who were named to the first-team list for the second time in their careers. Senior Jacob Ryan (exercise science) earned a first team nod for the first time.

Rounding out the honorees was sophomore Michael Melgares (marketing). The Manhattan, Kansas product was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team for the first time.
 
Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, the men’s and women’s cross country academic all-league squads include those who have maintained a 3.00 GPA (either cumulative or over each of the two previous semesters) and have participated in 60 percent of his/her team’s scheduled contests. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and members of the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
 
 
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