Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Smith Lands on the NWCA All-Academic Team
April 19, 2018 05:49 PM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Redshirt senior Jacob A. Smith of the West Virginia University wrestling team was awarded a spot on the 2018 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Team, released on Thursday afternoon.
Smith is the first Mountaineer since Lance Bryson in 2012 to earn the honor. The Charleston, West Virginia, native earned his bachelor's degree in biology and communication studies last spring and is currently in his first year of grad school.
The 197-pound grappler capped his senior campaign with a 15-9 record on the year, posting a 7-4 mark in dual competition. Smith placed second at the 2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, automatically qualifying for his fourth straight NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Smith fell just short of All-America honors this season, racking up 92 career wins in a Mountaineer singlet, just three wins shy of an appearance on WVU's all-time career wins list.
Awarded annually, the NWCA All-Academic Team is comprised of 155 student-athletes. Of the 155 individuals, 123 were at minimum NCAA Division I qualifiers, up from 115 wrestlers a year ago. Winners needed to meet one of two sets of criteria:
Criteria 1:
Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or above
Win 60 percent of the team's total schedule or was a 2018 NCAA Qualifier
Criteria 2:
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
Earn 2018 NCAA All-America honors
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Smith is the first Mountaineer since Lance Bryson in 2012 to earn the honor. The Charleston, West Virginia, native earned his bachelor's degree in biology and communication studies last spring and is currently in his first year of grad school.
The 197-pound grappler capped his senior campaign with a 15-9 record on the year, posting a 7-4 mark in dual competition. Smith placed second at the 2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championship, automatically qualifying for his fourth straight NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Smith fell just short of All-America honors this season, racking up 92 career wins in a Mountaineer singlet, just three wins shy of an appearance on WVU's all-time career wins list.
Awarded annually, the NWCA All-Academic Team is comprised of 155 student-athletes. Of the 155 individuals, 123 were at minimum NCAA Division I qualifiers, up from 115 wrestlers a year ago. Winners needed to meet one of two sets of criteria:
Criteria 1:
Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or above
Win 60 percent of the team's total schedule or was a 2018 NCAA Qualifier
Criteria 2:
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
Earn 2018 NCAA All-America honors
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWrestling on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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