Seven Gymnasts Earn Big 12 Academic Honor
March 17, 2015 03:21 PM | General
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| Salzano |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Seven West Virginia University gymnasts were named to the 2015 Academic All-Big 12 Gymnastics Team, the league office announced today.
The Mountaineers placed a program-best seven gymnasts for the second straight season.
“I’m so glad to see a program-best seven gymnasts earn academic recognition from the Big 12 Conference again this year,” said Mountaineer coach Jason Butts. “These gymnasts are student-athletes, and academics is always first. As a staff, we want each of these gymnasts to be prepared for life after gymnastics and college, and I’m proud of these seven for taking academics so seriously.”
Five gymnasts were named to the first team, including senior Lia Salzano (elementary education), one of three Big 12 gymnasts to earn her third career first-team honor. Juniors Melissa Idell (elementary education) and Jaida Lawrence (speech pathology & audiology) earned their second straight first-team awards, while classmate Lindsey Litten (finance) and sophomore Mackenzie Myers (elementary education) scored their first career honors.
Senior Beth Deal (exercise physiology) earned her second career second-team honor. Sophomore Brooklyn Doggette (child development & family studies) also was named to the second team, her first career award.
In total, 21 gymnasts earned recognitions, with No. 1-ranked Oklahoma placing nine members, and Iowa State earning five awards. Seventeen of the 21 honorees landed on the first team, which consists of gymnasts who have maintained a 3.20 or better grade point average (GPA), while the second-team selections hold 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 their 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 also are eligible.
The Mountaineers travel to Norman, Oklahoma, this week for the 2015 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship, set for Saturday, March 21, at 6 p.m. EDT, at OU’s Lloyd Noble Center.
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