Huskers Build Academic Tradition in 2010-11

14 Huskers Increase Nation-Leading CoSIDA Academic All-America to 291

University of Nebraska student-athletes produced another outstanding year in 2010-11, continuing NU's tradition of academic success. The Huskers increased their nation-leading total of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans across all sports to 291 with 14 honorees - the second-highest overall total in the nation in 2010-11. Nebraska's 14 honorees led both the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences, while the Huskers expanded their lead over national No. 2 Notre Dame in the all-time CoSIDA Academic All-America standings to 70. NU leads the nation in Academic All-Americans since 2000 with 101, extending its nation-leading streak to 40 consecutive years with at least one CoSIDA Academic All-American.

In addition to continuing its CoSIDA Academic All-America tradition, Husker student-athletes earned prestigious national postgraduate scholarships. Softball's Julie Brechtel, track and field's Natalie Willer and rifle's Ryann McGough claimed $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. Willer and baseball's Casey Hauptman added $7,500 Dr. Prentice Gautt Big 12 Postgraduate Scholarships.

The Huskers also closed their book on Big 12 participation by leading the conference again with record-setting numbers of 192 academic all-conference selections and 688 Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll members.

Nebraska's CoSIDA Academic All-America success continues to set the standard for the approximately 1,400 member institutions. The Husker football team leads all individual sport programs in the nation with 99 all-time CoSIDA Academic All-America awards, including 2010 first-teamer Austin Cassidy. The NU volleyball program has captured more CoSIDA Academic All-America awards (36) than any other women's team across all sports in the nation. The Husker softball team trails only the NU volleyball program in its number of CoSIDA Academic All-America awards (29) across all female sports. The softball team added a pair of Academic All-Americans in 2011, with juniors Ashley Hagemann and Nikki Haget claiming awards. Nebraska also leads the nation in combined men's and women's track and field/cross country awards with 29 since CoSIDA added the honor team in 2002, including a nation-leading 15 from the women's program. NU also ranks among the top 10 nationally in CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in men's track and field/cross country (T4th, 14), baseball (T8th, 19) and women's basketball (T10th, 8).

Husker Track and Field Team Produces Record-Setting Academic Year
Track and field All-Americans Nicholas Gordon and Natalie Willer captured Nebraska's top individual academic honors when they were named the 2011 Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year. Those individual awards started a record-breaking academic hardware haul for the Husker track and field programs.

Willer, who captured first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors to become Nebraska's 63rd two-time Academic All-American, added a pair of impressive postgraduate scholarships to her senior season. The senior biological sciences major from Elkhorn, Neb., claimed a prestigious $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and a $7,500 Dr. Prentice Gautt Big 12 Postgraduate Scholarship for her academic and athletic achievements at Nebraska. Willer, who was a three-time All-American, is the school record holder in the pole vault both indoors and outdoors. A team co-captain and four-time Big 12 pole vault champion, Willer was also the 2010 recipient of the Dr. Barbara Hibner Memorial Scholarship. The award is presented to a Nebraska varsity women's student-athlete who has demonstrated a high level of athletic and academic achievement, community involvement, integrity and passion for promoting women's athletics at Nebraska.

Gordon, the 2009 NCAA indoor long jump champion, joined Willer as a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American after claiming second-team honors in 2011. A two-time Big 12 long jump champion, Gordon was a five-time All-American in the event. The senior from Kingston, Jamaica, was a three-time first-team academic All-Big 12 pick and captured first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a junior in 2010.

Gordon and Willer headlined a list of seven CoSIDA Academic All-Americans on the men's and women's track and field teams. Bjorn Barrefors, a junior from Stockholm, Sweden, joined Gordon and Willer as a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American by claiming first-team accolades. Nate Polacek, a junior from Kearney, Neb., added second-team honors, while senior Adam Dailey (Wahoo, Neb.) and junior Tyler Hitchler (Fremont, Neb.) contributed third-team awards. The five CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for the men's track and field program tied the Nebraska record for most Academic All-Americans by an single team in a year, matching the 1997 Husker football team. The men's track and field team's five selections also led all teams in all sports nationally in 2010-11.

Junior Ashley Miller pitched in a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America award to join Willer on the women's track and field honor squad and give the combined track and field programs half of Nebraska's 14 Academic All-Americans in 2010-11.

CoSIDA Academic All-America Class Filled with Nine Huskers Returning in 2011-12
In addition to a strong track and field flavor, youth was also served among Nebraska's 14 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans across all sports in 2010-11. In fact, nine of NU's Academic All-Americans will return for the Huskers in 2011-12.

Junior safety Austin Cassidy captured the Nebraska football team's 99th CoSIDA Academic All-America award. Cassidy, a safety from Lincoln, Neb., claimed first-team academic accolades while also growing into a starter for the Big 12 North division champion Cornhuskers. Cassidy made 48 tackles, including 24 solos in 2010, and had a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown at Iowa State. He also forced one fumble.

Juniors Ashley Hagemann and Nikki Haget - high school teammates from Elkhorn, Neb. - added to the impressive academic tradition of Coach Rhonda Revelle's Husker softball program. Hagemann, an All-Big 12 pitcher on the field, earned second-team Academic All-America honors in the classroom. She enters her senior season within striking distance of NU career records in both wins and strikeouts.

Haget, a starter in the Husker outfield, contributed a third-team CoSIDA Academic All-America award after batting better than .340 for the second straight season. Haget earned second-team All-Big 12 honors on the field in 2010.

A fourth Husker junior, Tucker Lane from Coach Mark Manning's wrestling program, claimed second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. The heavyweight from Redvale, Colo., earned his bachelor's degree in communication studies in May of 2011, with one full year of eligibility left on the mat. Lane will compete as a graduate student for the Huskers while pursuing his fourth NCAA Championships appearance and his first All-America honor in 2012.

Sophomore Morgan Marlborough captured third-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a member of Coach John Walker's Husker soccer program. Marlborough, a native of Lee's Summit, Mo., also earned NSCAA All-America honors on the field while capturing her second straight Big 12 Offensive Player-of-the-Award.

While younger Huskers took center stage for their academic performance, senior Casey Hauptman collected CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the Nebraska baseball team. Hauptman, a right-handed pitcher from Omaha, Neb., became the 10th Husker baseball player since 2001 to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Hauptman, who earned a $7,500 Dr. Prentice Gautt Big 12 Postgraduate Scholarship, also starred on the field. He claimed All-Big 12 honors before being chosen in the 26th round by the New York Mets in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He led the nation in fewest walks per nine innings, while ranking seventh in the Big 12 with a 2.45 ERA on the year. He was a three-time academic All-Big 12 selection who earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Nebraska in May of 2011.

Ryann McGough, a senior on Morgan Hicks' NU rifle team, claimed third-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as a member of the Women's At-Large Team. McGough, a native of LaPorte, Colo., earned the NCAA Elite 88 Award for carrying the highest GPA at the 2010 NCAA Championships. McGough was also one of three Huskers to earn $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. McGough was a two-time NCAA Championships competitor for the Huskers. She also earned her bachelor's degree in May of 2011 after finishing with a 3.94 grade-point average as a psychology major.

Nebraska Closes Big 12 Run with Record 192 Academic All-Conference Selections
Across all sports, Nebraska student-athletes claimed a conference-record 192 academic All-Big 12 selections - 14 more than the previous mark set by the Huskers in 2009-10.

Texas was a distant second with 159 academic All-Big 12 picks in 2010-11, while no other conference school managed more than 135 selections. Nebraska also led the conference with 148 first-team (3.2 GPA or higher) academic All-Big 12 honorees, while only Texas (117) and Oklahoma (112) produced 100 or more first-teamers.

Over the past three years, Nebraska has earned nearly 550 academic All-Big 12 certificates across all sports, while no other league school has amassed 400 awards.

NU's men's and women's track and field programs headlined the Huskers' success in the classroom, combining for 56 awards, including 53 first-team selections. No other conference track and field program accumulated more than 30 academic awards in 2010-11.

In addition to the track and field teams, the football (23), baseball (15) and women's gymnastics squads all produced conference-leading academic totals in their sports. No other Big 12 football program claimed more than 18 awards, while no other league baseball program captured more than eight individual academic honors.

Husker student-athletes also earned a record-setting 688 spots on the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall and Spring Academic Honor Rolls in 2010-11. To earn a spot on the honor roll, a student-athlete must earn a 3.0 grade-point average during the semester. During the fall and spring semesters combined, a Big 12-leading 93 Husker student-athletes produced perfect 4.0 semester GPAs. In 2009-10, Nebraska led the conference with 80.

Huskers Award 294 Honors Medallions at Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet
The University of Nebraska Athletic Department took one special night to honor its own student-athletes on April 17 at the 21st annual Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet. A total of 294 honor medallions were presented to Husker student-athletes at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

In addition to Nicholas Gordon and Natalie Willer earning Nebraska's top individual honors as Student-Athletes of the Year, Coach Bill Spangler's men's golf team (3.422 GPA) and Coach Scott Jacobson's women's tennis team (3.541 GPA) claimed the 17th annual Herman Awards. The awards are presented to the Husker teams with the top team grade-point averages. It marked the third award for the women's tennis program in the past seven years, while the men's golf team claimed its second award in the history of the program.

The hard work, dedication and commitment of Nebraska's student-athletes in the classroom resulted in 113 current or former student-athletes earning their bachelor's degrees from August of 2010 through May of 2011.

Nebraska Life Skills Continues Innovative Approach to Community Outreach
In the community, Husker student-athletes reached tens of thousands of people through the state of Nebraska in 2010-11. Cornerstone outreach programs included the "Read to Succeed" Book Drive, Special Olympics, Husker Connect, American Education Week and "School is Cool" assemblies.

In the fall of 2010, the Husker Life Seminar in collaboration with the College of Education and Human Sciences entered its second year as a requirement for every incoming Husker student-athlete. Nearly 200 student-athletes completed the seminar, which focused on the transition to college life while learning skills to succeed as college students.

In September, the Life Skills Program celebrated the official grand opening of its new home in the Nebraska Student Life Complex. While the program enjoyed the space and comfort of its new home, it continued its commitment to reaching out across the state of Nebraska. Individual Husker student-athletes volunteered more than 3,000 hours of service, making countless appearances in classrooms and community groups statewide throughout the year. Each Husker team completed at least two service projects during the year, demonstrating NU's overall commitment to community service.

The 2010-11 season marked the eighth year of the Huskers' innovative Life Skills Award of Excellence Team Competition, which includes winners from both men's and women's divisions. Coach Bo Pelini's Nebraska football team captured the award on the men's side, while Coach Rhonda Revelle's Husker softball team claimed the honor on the women's side.

The Life Skills Award honors the teams demonstrating the strongest commitment to all phases of the Life Skills Program, including outreach, education and leadership. The award was presented at the annual Nebraska Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet in April. Thirty Husker student-athlete leaders were also recognized at the annual HERO Leadership Breakfast, honoring those who have consistently gone above and beyond establishing themselves as excellent leaders and role models. Three outstanding seniors - two-time NCAA wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs, All-American place-kicker/punter Alex Henery and women's track and field student-athlete Erin Hannon - also received the prestigious Heart and Soul Award, which recognizes exemplary community service and leadership.

2010-11 Nebraska Academic Highlights

• 291 All-Time CoSIDA Academic All-Americans across all sports (leads nation)
• 99 Football CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (leads all sports, all time)
• 36 Volleyball CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (leads all women's sports, all time)
• 29 Softball CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (No. 2 among all women's sports, all time)
• 29 Men's & Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Combined CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (leads nation since CoSIDA added team in 2002)
• 14 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2010-11 (3 first-team, 6 second-team, 5 third-team)
  First Team: Bjorn Barrefors (Men's Track & Field), Austin Cassidy (Football), Natalie Willer (Women's Track & Field)
  Second Team: Nicholas Gordon (Men's Track & Field), Ashley Hagemann (Softball), Casey Hauptman (Baseball), Tucker Lane (Wrestling), Ashley Miller (Women's Track & Field), Nate Polacek (Men's Track & Field)
  Third Team: Adam Dailey (Men's Track & Field), Nikki Haget (Softball), Tyler Hitchler (Men's Track & Field), Morgan Marlborough (Soccer), Ryann McGough (Rifle)
• NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winners ($7,500 each)
  Julie Brechtel (Softball), Ryann McGough (Rifle), Natalie Willer (Women's Track & Field)
• Dr. Prentice Gautt Big 12 Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Winners ($7,500 each)
  Casey Hauptman (Baseball); Natalie Willer (Women's Track & Field)
• Big 12-Leading 192 Academic All-Big 12 Selections Across All Sports (3.0 GPA or above)
• Big 12-Leading 148 First-Team Academic All-Big 12 Picks Across All Sports (3.2 GPA or above)
• Big 12-Leading 688 Student-Athletes Honored on Big 12 Commissioner's Fall and Spring Honor Rolls (3.0 GPA or above)
• 93 Student-Athletes Earned Perfect 4.0 GPAs in either the Fall or Spring Semester (led Big 12)
• 113 Student-Athletes Earned Degrees from August 2010 through May 2011
• (August 2010--21; December 2010--26; May 2011--66)
• 95 Percent - Nebraska's Exhausted Eligibility Graduation Rate (1994-2003) (Led Big 12)
• Male Student-Athlete of the Year - Nicholas Gordon, Men's Track & Field (Political Science)
• Female Student-Athlete of the Year - Natalie Willer, Women's Track & Field (Biological Sciences)
• Men's Herman Award Winner - Men's Golf Team (3.422 GPA)
• Women's Herman Award Winner - Women's Tennis Team (3.541 GPA)
• Life Skills Team Award Winners - Football, Softball