Four Earn Academic All-America Honors
June 11, 2015 11:52 AM | General
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| Kyanko | Prediger |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Four West Virginia University student-athletes earned Capital One Academic All-America Men’s and Women’s At-Large honors, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
David Palley (men’s swimming) was named to the men’s at-large first team, while Thomas Kyanko (rifle) and Maren Prediger (rifle) were named to the men’s and women’s at-large second teams, respectively. Jenelle Zee (women’s swimming) was named to the women’s at-large third team. All four student-athletes are seniors.
The honors are the first career awards for Palley and Zee. They are the second and third WVU swimming and diving student-athletes to earn Academic All-America distinctions. Nick Delic was named to the men’s at-large third team in 2008.
“This is a great honor for David and Jenelle,” noted WVU swimming and diving coach Vic Riggs. “Both worked extremely hard at their academics and to receive this recognition is great for them.”
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| Palley | Zee |
Kyanko is the second rifle student-athlete to earn three career Academic All-America honors, having been named to the third team in 2013 and the second team in 2014. Today’s award is the first career honor for Prediger. Five members of the rifle team have earned a combined 10 Academic All-America honors since 2009.
“The entire team is very proud of Thomas and Maren for their academic achievements,” said WVU rifle coach Jon Hammond. “They had wonderful careers at WVU. Not only were they able to be a part of three NCAA National Championship teams, and in Maren’s case an NCAA individual title, but they also maintained exceptional grades. To finish their Mountaineer careers with this academic honor shows how much time they dedicated to their studies and their sport.”
Palley, a Walnut Creek, California, native, has maintained a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) while majoring in civil engineering. He earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors this past season as a member of the 200-yard medley relay team. He was named the 2015 Big 12 Men’s Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is a recipient of the Dr. Gerald Lage Award. An Academic All-Big 12 First Team member, Palley also is a recipient of the NASA Space Grant and the Statler College Achievement Award. Palley is a member of the President’s List, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Zee, a Long Valley, New Jersey, native, is a three-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team this past season after placing third in the 100 breast at the Big 12 Championships. A political science major, she has held a 4.0 GPA. She earned an NCAA B cut time in the 100 breast in 2014. Zee is a member of the President’s List, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and is a recipient of the Dr. Gerald Lage Award.
Pursuing a master’s degree in computer science, Kyanko, a native of Wellsburg, West Virginia, carries a 3.50 GPA. He earned his undergraduate degree in computer science (3.90 GPA) last year. Kyanko also is a four-time College Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) All-Academic Team honoree and a three-time Academic All-Big 12 At-Large Team member. Enrolled in the WVU Honor’s Program, he also has been named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists and the WVU Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
A five-time National Rifle Association (NRA) All-American, Kyanko earned his first career first-team award this season, as he was named to the smallbore first team and the air rifle second team. An eight-time All-GARC honoree, he finished second on the team this season with a 582 smallbore average. Kyanko also shot career highs in air rifle (595) and combined score (1183).
Prediger, a Petersaurach, Germany, native, is pursuing a doctorate in chemistry after earning her undergraduate degree in chemistry with a 3.92 GPA. One of 45 students to earn the WVU Outstanding Senior honor in 2015, she is a three-time CRCA All-Academic Team and Academic All-Big 12 At-Large Team honoree. Prediger also is a member of the President’s and Dean’s Lists, as well as the WVU Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.
The 2015 NCAA air rifle champion, Prediger has earned three straight NRA First Team All-America Air Rifle awards and back-to-back CRCA All-America Second Team honors. She finished second in air rifle and fourth in smallbore at the 2015 Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships and has won six All-GARC honors throughout her career. Prediger finished second on the team with a 595 air rifle average and fourth with an 1172 combined score average. Additionally, she shot career highs in smallbore (586), air rifle (599) and combined score (1170).
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