Oct. 23, 2007

Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Team [PDF Format]

IRVING, Texas--The Big 12 Conference has named 112 student-athletes to the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Team, the league office announced.

Among those honored were eight nominated with a 4.00 grade point average. The women's student-athletes with a perfect GPA include Rachel Bell (Iowa State), Beverly Ramos Morales (Kansas State), Joslyn Dalton (Nebraska), and Leah Schroeder (Oklahoma State). Bryce Somer (Nebraska), Tucker Weems (Oklahoma State), and Noel Conrad and Cory Higgins (Texas Tech) posted a 4.00 on the men's side.

The Colorado and Oklahoma State women's squads placed a league-leading nine student-athletes each on the team, while the Buffs and Cowboys also paced the men's field with seven selections apiece.

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 36 first team members combined with 12 on the second team, while the women had 55 first team recipients and nine 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.

For the first time in Big 12 history, Texas Tech will host the Big 12 Cross Country Championships on Friday at Rawls Golf Course in Lubbock, Texas. The event will begin with the men's 8,000-meter race at 10 a.m. CT, followed by the women's 6,000-meter run at 11 a.m. Admission is free to the public.

The top men's and women's teams are crowned league champion and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The top 15 individuals in each race are named all-conference.

Colorado has dominated the Big 12 cross country scene the past 11 seasons. The men, the reigning national champions, have won every title, while the women have won 10 of the 11 championships, with Kansas State claiming the only other crown in 1998. Nationally, the Buffs have produced three men's (2001, `04 and `06) and two women's (2000, `04) NCAA team championships as members of the league.

Individually, both the men's and women's champions - Colby Wissel (Kansas) and defending NCAA individual winner Sally Kipyego (Texas Tech) - will return to the conference championships field in `07. Wissel and Kipyego both earned second-team recognition as members of the Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Team.