Miller Leads Huskers to All-Big 12 Honors

Lincoln ? With the release of the Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Team, the Huskers have again shown they excel not only on the course but also in the classroom. The Big Red posted six first-team members and one second-team honoree on the men’s side while the Husker women added seven student-athletes selections to the first team, including Betsy Miller who carried a perfect 4.0 GPA in biological sciences.

 

Miller, a native of Lodgepole, Neb., was a first-team pick for the third time in her Husker career. Plagued by injury in 2007, Miller has returned in 2008 to co-captain the team in her senior season. On the course she has contributed three top-25 finishes at the five meets she has run in, including a fourth-place finish at the Creighton/UNO Classic.

 

Also honored on the first team were seniors Ari Goldstein (biochemistry), Jen Pancoast (nutritional science and dietetics) and Natalja Zarcenko (finance and accounting) as well as sophomores Lara Crofford (nutritional science and dietetics) and Jen Webers (undeclared) and redshirt freshman Ashley Miller (nutritional science and dietetics).

 

The Husker men were led by three-time first-team selection Kyle Custer, a nutritional science and dietetics major. Custer is the lone senior on the 2008 squad and is a co-captain. The Cambridge, Neb., native has been a staple in the classroom while at Nebraska, being honored with the HERO Award and be named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s honor roll every semester at Nebraska. Custer has also preformed on the athletic field, earning All-Big 12 honors during the 2008 indoor track and field season as a member of the distance-medley relay.

 

Custer was joined on the first team by David Adams (biological systems engineering), Todd Gulizia (international business), Anthony Oberle (biological sciences), Bryce Somer (nutritional science and dietetics) and Eric Thies (accounting/finance) with Peter Falcon (notional science and dietetics) be named to the second-team list.

Student-athletes are nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the men’s cross country academic all-league squad consisted of 50 first team members combined with 10 on the second team, while the women had 60 first team recipients and six student-athletes 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 or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his/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 also eligible.

The Husker will next be in action at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships, which will be hosted by Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, on Sat. Nov 1.  The event will begin with the women’s 6K race at 10 a.m., followed by the men’s 8K run at 11 a.m.  Admission is free to the public.

 

NU Student-Athletes on First Team (Women)

Lara Crofford ? Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Newville, Pa.)

Ari Goldstein - Biochemistry (Soldotna, Alaska)

Ashley Miller ? Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Tipton, Iowa)

*Betsy Miller - Biological Sciences (Lodgepole, Neb.)

Jennifer Pancoast - Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Cape Girardeau, Mo.)

Jen Webers ? Undeclared (Conifer, Colo.)

Natalja Zarcenko - Finance and Accounting (Valmeira, Latvia)

 

NU Student-Athletes on First Team (Men)

David Adams ? Biological Systems Engineering (York, Neb.)

Kyle Custer - Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Cambridge, Neb.)

Todd Gulizia ? International Business (Omaha, Neb.)

Anthony Oberle ? Biological Sciences (Sioux City, Iowa)

Bryce Somer - Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Yankton, S.D.)

Eric Thies ? Accounting/Finance (Arlington, Minn.)

 

NU Student-Athletes on Second Team (Men)

Peter Falcon ? Nutritional Science and Dietetics (Bellevue, Neb.)

 

* - denotes 4.0 GPA