Five Huskers Earn Academic All-Big 12 Honors

Dallas -- A league-best five Husker gymnasts were among the 16 student-athletes who have been named to the 2000 women's gymnastics academic All-Big 12 team announced Wednesday.

For the third straight season, Nebraska led the conference with five Husker gymnasts among the honorees, marking the third straight year that NU had the most academic All-Big 12 selections. Seniors Heather Brink (Lincoln, Neb.), Arica Lamb (Lincoln, Neb.) and Nicole Wilkinson (London, Ontario, Canada) and sophomore Laura Goss (Austell, Ga.) were first-team selections, while junior Amy Ringo (Phoenix, Ariz.) was a second-team honoree.

Only five Husker gymnasts were eligible for conference honors, as the nominees must be of sophomore standing and compete in 60 percent of contests. Sophomore Bree Dority, a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection in 1999, missed most of the season with a knee injury, while the other four gymnasts on NU's roster are all freshmen.

On the squad there are 15 repeat performers from previous women's gymnastics academic all-conference teams including three student-athletes being named to the academic team for the fourth time. These seniors include Missouri's Meggen Smiley, and Oklahoma's Ginger Russell and Shanna Sanders.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the women's gymnastics academic all-league squad consisted of 13 first-team members with three on the second team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 or better grade-point average, while the second team are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of 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 eligible.

2000 Women's Gymnastics Academic All-Big 12

First Team (3.20-plus grade point average)

Name, School	Class	Major	Hometown
Kelli More, Iowa State	Sr.	Exercise & Sports Science	Bellevue, Neb.
Sarah Sanderson, Iowa State	Sr.	Psychology	Hudson, Wis.
Martha Strain, Iowa State	Sr.	Exercise & Sports Science	Lincoln, Neb.
Ann Gietler, Missouri	Jr.	Biology	Mesa, Ariz.
Meggen Smiley, Missouri	Sr.	Physical Therapy	O'Fallon, Mo.
Heather Brink, Nebraska	Sr.	Actuarial Sciences	Lincoln, Neb.
Laura Goss, Nebraska	So.	General Studies	Austell, Ga.
Arica Lamb, Nebraska	Sr.	Speech Pathology	Lincoln, Neb.
Nicole Wilkinson, Nebraska	Sr.	Advertising	London, Ontario, Canada
Mariana Goncalves, Oklahoma	So.	Undecided	Sao Paulo, Brazil
Leticia Ishii, Oklahoma	Fr.-RS	Undecided	Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ginger Russell, Oklahoma	Sr.	Zoology	Ft. Smith, Ark.
Shanna Sanders, Oklahoma	Sr.	Elementary Education	Sapulpa, Okla.

Second Team (3.0 to 3.19 grade point average)

Lauren Goldberg, Iowa State	Jr.	Pre-Journalism, Mass Communications	Aurora, Colo.
Chandra Harlow, Missouri	Sr.	Elementary Education	Raytown, Mo.
Amy Ringo, Nebraska	Jr.	Art	Phoenix, Ariz.