Huskers Place Nine on Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Teams

Dallas, Texas - Nine members of the Nebraska men’s and women’s cross country teams have earned academic All-Big 12 honors, the league office announced Tuesday, Oct. 26. Six NU women were honored, along with three men.

Seniors Anne Shadle and Kayte Tranel, junior Michaela Lenihan, and sophomores Lindsey Finkner, Kim Pancoast and Val Zajac each were named to the women’s first team. Shadle earned her third-straight first-team honor, while Tranel, Lenihan and Pancoast all were repeat selections. Finkner and Zajac both were named to their first academic all-conference team.

Senior Eric Rasmussen, the only two-time first-team honoree on this year’s Husker men’s squad, previously earned recognition in 2002, while sophomore Bryce Dickmeyer was named first-team academic All-Big 12 in his first opportunity. Senior Kyle Doperalski received second-team honors for the first time in his final season.

Nominated by each Big 12 institution’s director of student-athlete support services and media relations office, the cross country academic all-league squad consisted of 97 combined first-team members and 28 on the second team. First-team members consist of those who maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, while the second team are those who have posted 3.00-3.19 GPAs.

Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996, NU cross country team members have tallied 68 first-team academic all-conference selections, as well as eight second-team honors. Huskers also have earned four honorable mention honors.