Four Jayhawks named to 2017 Academic All-Big 12 Teams

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the first time since 2010, Kansas women’s basketball has four Academic All-Big 12 first and second-team honorees, after senior Caelynn Manning-Allen, junior Chayla Cheadle and sophomores Jayde Christopher and Kylee Kopatich were recognized for their efforts in the classroom by the league on Thursday afternoon.
 
This marks the fourth academic accolade for Manning-Allen and third first-team honor from the conference in her career as a Jayhawk. Kopatich joins Manning-Allen in earning first-team honors, her second career academic award. Cheadle and Christopher both garnered second-team nods, the second honor for Cheadle and first for Christopher.
 
A communications studies major, Manning-Allen has appeared in 22 games and made two starts during her senior campaign. She leads the team with 32 blocks and currently sits in ninth place all-time in the KU women’s basketball record book for blocked shots with 112. She is averaging 4.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.0 percent from the field.
 
Kopatich, a sport management major, has started all 25 games so far as a sophomore and is averaging a team-best 28.9 minutes per game. Kopatich is averaging 9.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while connecting on 36.3 percent of her shots from the floor.
 
A sociology major, Cheadle is averaging 4.8 points and a team-best 4.7 rebounds, while converting 32.6 percent of her attempts from the field. The junior has started all 25 games so far during the 2016-17 season.
 
Christopher, an African American studies major, has appeared in every contest so far as a sophomore and entered the starting lineup during Big 12 play. She is averaging 2.3 points per game and has dished out the second-most assists on the team with 60.
 
First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second-team selections hold 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.
 
UP NEXT
Kansas stays on the road to complete the 2017 series against Texas Tech on Saturday, Feb. 18. Tipoff against the Lady Raiders is slated for 2 p.m., on FOX Sports SW+ and the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
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