Track Lands 22 on Academic All-Big 12
5/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 11, 2011
Complete Big 12 Release
IRVING, Texas - Baylor's track and field team placed a Big 12-era school-record 22 student-athletes, including 12 men and 10 women, on the Academic All-Big 12 Team announced by league officials on Wednesday.
Baylor landed a total of 18 members on the first team and four more on the second team for the record-breaking total. The amount also marked the fifth consecutive season that the program has had at least 16 selections to the all-academic team.
Sophomore Blake Niccum, a sophomore engineering major, highlighted the selections on the men's side with Baylor's lone perfect 4.0 GPA. His first all-academic selection, Niccum was joined on the first team by three-time selections James Gilreath and Jeff Sadler, as well as two-time selection Philip Raaf.
On the men's side, Ben Allen, Zac Flowers, Drew Seale and Logan Roberts each earned a first-team selection, while first-time honorees Ben Haby, Robbie Knorr and Marcus Thompson each earned second-team honors.
The Baylor women had seven members earn at least a second all-academic first team honor in their careers. The list included three-time honorees Leigh Ann Ganzar, Katie Shaw, Lauren Simpson and Brittany Bruce, while Kristen Hanselka, Diamond Richardson and Jessica Ubanyionwu were honored for the second time.
Being honored for the first time in their careers, Jessica Gabler, Dess Meek and Lizzy Whitney each earned first-team honors.
The entire Big 12 Conference named 316 student-athletes to the 2011 Academic All-Big 12 Track & Field Team. Among those honored, 25 were nominated with a 4.00 grade point average.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services, the track and field academic all-league squad consisted of 267 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 over 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.
Players Mentioned
