Nine Husker Gymnasts Named to Academic All-Big 12 Team

DALLAS - The Big 12 Conference takes great pleasure in honoring 19 student-athletes who have been named to the 2003 Women's Gymnastics Academic All-Big 12 Team, the conference office announced Tuesday.

Only four Big 12 schools sponsor women's gymnastics. Each school -- Iowa State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma -- has at least three representatives on the academic squad. The Huskers lead the league with nine overall selections with seven on the first team and two on the second.

Many of these student-athletes will participate at the Big 12 Conference Gymnastics Championship at 7 p.m. Saturday, in Columbia, Mo. Nebraska has won five of the previous Big 12 titles, while Iowa State took the 2000 championship.

Last year NU won the championship with a team score of 196.725. Iowa State placed second with a 196.650, Oklahoma was third with a 196.125, and Missouri was fourth with a 195.475. ISU's Sissy Huey claimed the all-around title with a 39.600 which tied the Big 12 Championship record set by Cyclone Betsy Hamm in 2000.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the women's gymnastics academic all-league squad consisted of 15 first-team members combined with four on the second team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better grade-point average, while the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her 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 eligible.

2003 Women's Gymnastics Academic All-Big 12 TEAM

First Team (3.20-plus grade point average)
Karen Kuplicki,   Iowa State,  Sr.  Elementary Education,   Seminole, Fla. 

 

Courtney Sarrett, Iowa State, Sr. Elementary Education,   Midlothian, Va.
Alina Hamm, Missouri,  Sr., Nutrition and Fitness,   Springfield, Mo.
Andrea Nervig, Missouri,  Jr.,  Nutrition and Fitness Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lauren Owca, Missouri  Jr. Undeclared Wheaton, Ill.
Jennifer French, Nebraska,  Sr., Exercise Science,  Greensboro, N.C.
Jess Wertz, Nebraska, Sr., Biological Sciences,  Lebanon, Ohio
Gina Bruce, Nebraska,  Jr., Business Administration,   Champlin, Minn.
Libby Landgraf, Nebraska,  Jr., Business Administration, Fort Collins, Colo.
Richelle Simpson, Nebraska, Jr., French, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Carrie Gloudemans, Nebraska,  So.,  General Studies,  Neenah, Wis.
Jamie Saas, Nebraska, So.,   Family and Consumer Science, Aurora, Ill.
Patricia Aoki, Oklahoma, Sr.,  Health and Sport Sciences, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Leah Mueller, Oklahoma, Sr., Communications,  Yukon, Okla.
Allison Landis, Oklahoma,  So., Health and Sport Sciences,  Bartlesville, Okla.

Second Team (3.00 to 3.19 grade point average)
Chieko Calina, Iowa State,  Jr., Journalism and Mass Communications, Anchorage, Ala.
Rachael Dombart,  Missouri,  So., Undeclared, Woodstock, Ga.
A.J. Lamb, Nebraska, Sr.,  Business Administration,   Lincoln, Neb.
Tami Harris, Nebraska,  Jr., Marketing, Virginia Beach, Va.