Nine Huskers Named to Academic All-Big 12 Teams

Nine Husker cross country runners were named to the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 teams, announced Tuesday by the league office.

 

Nebraska led the conference in 4.0 grade-point averages as three student-athletes achieved the perfect mark in seniors Joslyn Dalton and Alec Maduza and sophomore Bryce Somer. OklahomaState and Texas Tech each boasted a pair of 4.0’s, while IowaState and KansasState had one.

 

The Huskers had five women and four men named Academic All-Big 12. First team honors require a cumulative 3.20 GPA or better, while the second team consists of those with a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

 

All five of Nebraska’s women’s selections were named to the first team, marking the fifth-straight year the Husker women have had at least five first-team selections. Juniors Rachel Carrizales, Ari Goldstein, Jen Pancoast and Natalja Zarcenko joined Dalton on the list.

 

The men had three first-team selections for the second consecutive year as junior Kyle Custer met the required 3.20 GPA in addition to Maduza and Somer. Sophomore Ethan Luebbe gave the Huskers representation on the second team to give the Husker squads a total of nine runners on either the first or second teams.

 

In addition to the required 3.0 GPA, student-athletes must have also participated in at least 60 percent of his/her team’s scheduled meets. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. A total of 112 cross country runners from the conference were named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams.

 

The Husker cross country teams have deep roots in academic success as the two squads have earned 13-of-26 Herman Awards, which are given annually to Nebraska’s team with the highest grade-point average.

 

On the course, the Huskers are preparing for this week’s 2007 Big 12 Championships in Lubbock, Texas. The event begins Friday, Oct. 27 from The Rawls Golf Course with the men’s 8K at 10 a.m., followed by the women’s 6K at 11 a.m.

 

Men

First Team

Kyle Custer, Jr., Biological Sciences

Alec Maduza*, Sr., History

Bryce Somer*, So., Nutrition, Health and Exercise

 

Second Team

Ethan Luebbe, So., Mechanical Engineering

 

Women

First Team

Rachel Carrizales, Jr., Pre-Elementary Education

Joslyn Dalton*, Sr., Communication Studies

Ari Goldstein, Jr., Biochemistry

Jen Pancoast, Jr., Nutritional Science and Dietetics

Natalja Zarcenko, Jr., Finance and Accounting

 

* 4.0 grade-point averages