Kansas Places 56 Student-Athletes on Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference announced the 2021-22 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team on Thursday, with a total of 469 student-athletes earning the honor. Kansas had 56 student-athletes on the list, which recognizes conference competitors who are new, including freshmen, at their respective league institution.

Of the Jayhawks 56 honorees, eight earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average in the past year. Those student-athletes include Rylee Crowell (rowing), Melia Martin (rowing), Laura Teska (rowing), Addi Barnes (swimming & diving), Ellie Howe (swimming & diving), Eleni Kotzamanis (swimming & diving), Avery Brooks (track & field), and Caroline Bien (volleyball).

Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services, student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team must be new, first-time/incoming freshmen that have completed 24 semester hours of non-remedial coursework and achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. Additionally, the student-athlete must have participated in at least one of their team’s scheduled contests and must have been a member of their respective team for their sport’s entire NCAA Championship segment.

The Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team was introduced in the 2012-13 academic year.

The Kansas Rowing team led the way for the Jayhawks with 13 honorees, followed by swimming & diving with seven, football with six and men’s and women’s track & field with five apiece. KU Baseball had four players on the list, men’s basketball, soccer and volleyball each had three, women’s basketball, women’s golf and softball had two apiece and men’s golf earned one.