League-High 40 Huskers Named Academic All-Big 12

DALLAS ? A conference-leading 40 members of the Nebraska track and field team recently earned Academic All-Big 12 honors, including 35 first-team representatives. The Huskers paced the league’s women’s teams with 22 honors, while NU’s 18 men’s selections ranked second only to Missouri for number of individuals.

Leading the men’s first-team selections was senior Issar Yazhbin, who continued his own excellence in the classroom by maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade-point average for the fourth consecutive year. While Yazhbin claimed his third career nomination, two other Husker seniors?Lee Martin and Nate Probasco?were named to their fourth consecutive academic All-Big 12 squads.
Senior Nic Petersen added his third career honor, while juniors Keith Lloyd and Thorin Meyer each received their second honors.

Nebraska placed three of its four returning women’s NCAA All-Americans on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in seniors Ashley Selig and Kayla Wilkinson and junior Jenny Green. Selig received her fourth career mention, while both Wilkinson and Green received their third awards. Another senior, Kim Pancoast, joined Selig as a four-time honoree, while NU’s other All-American, senior Dace Ruskule, was listed on the second team for the second straight year.

Other Husker repeat picks included three-time selections Ashlee Dickinson, Justine Roach, Kim Shubert, Jeni Steiner and Val Zajac; and two-time honorees Joslyn Dalton and Betsy Miller. Shubert and freshman Briget Meduna were the lone Husker women to boast 4.0 GPAs during the two previous semesters.
                 
Nominated by each institution’s director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the men’s academic all-league track & field squad consisted of 93 first-team members combined with 21 on the second team, while the women had 131 first-team recipients and 30 student-athletes on the second team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better grade-point average, 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.

Nebraska’s Academic All-Big 12 Honorees:

Women
First Team:
Channing Anseth, Jr. - Psychology - Lincoln, Neb.
Rachel Carrizales, So. - Elementary Education - Morrill, Neb.
Joslyn Dalton, So. - Communication Studies - Fremont, Neb.
Ashlee Dickinson, Sr. - Anthropology - St. Charles, Iowa
AriAnna Goldstein, So. - Biochemistry - Soldotna, Alaska
Jenny Green, Jr. - Advertising - Grand Island, Neb.
*Bridget Meduna, So. - Undeclared - Wahoo, Neb.
Betsy Miller, Jr. - Biological Sciences - Lodgepole, Neb.
Janae Mueller, So. - Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science - Columbus, Neb
Jennifer Pancoast, So. - Dietetics - Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Kimberly Pancoast, Sr. - Nutrition, Fitness & Health Promotion - Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Sara Prince, Fr. - Nutrition Science - Omaha, Neb.
Justine Roach, Sr. - Psychology - Leicester, England
Ashley Selig, Sr. - Exercise Sciences - Lincoln, Neb.
*Kim Shubert, Jr. - Biological Sciences - Lincoln, Neb.
Jeni Steiner, Sr. - Natural Science Education - Columbus, Neb.
Kayla Wilkinson, Sr. - Dietetics - Deshler, Neb.
Val Zajac, Jr. - Psychology - Poland, Ohio
Natalja Zarcenko, So. - Finance & Accounting - Valmeira, Latvia

Second Team:
Chi Kalu, So. - Advertising - Mkushi, Zambia
Dace Ruskule, Sr. ? Psychology - Vecumnieku Pagasts, Latvia
Kacie Sharp, So. - Biological Sciences - Plattsmouth, Neb.

Men
First Team:
Patrick Burke, Jr. - Marketing - Bellevue, Neb.
Daniel Christensen, So. - International Business - Omaha, Neb.
Kyle Custer, Fr. - Biological Sciences - Cambridge, Neb.
Dusty Jonas, Jr - Horticulture - La Vernia, Texas
Andrew Lind, Jr. - Biological Sciences - Lake Oswego, Ore.
Keith Lloyd, Jr. - Industrial Technology Education - Omaha, Neb.
Alec Maduza, Sr. - History - Shorewood, Wis.
Lee Martin, Sr. - Business Administration - Waverly, Neb.
Thorin Meyer, Jr. - Theatre - Scribner, Neb.
Chris Nuttelman, Fr. - Advertising - Kearney, Neb.
Eric Petersen, Fr. - Physics - Rapid City, S.D.
Nicholas Petersen, Sr. - Economics - Omaha, Neb.
Nate Probasco, Sr. - History - Scribner, Neb.
Tyrell Ross, Fr. - Accounting - Mullica Hills, N.J.
Ben Schutter, Jr. - Veterinary Science - Larned, Kan.
*Issar Yazhbin, Sr. - Biological Systems Engineering - Yavne, Israel

Second Team:
Brian Parr, Fr. - Business Administration - Fremont, Neb.
Ryan Petrocchi, Fr. - Nutrition, Exercise & Health Science - Ralston, Neb.