Five Mountaineers Named to Academic All-Big 12 First Team
February 24, 2022 01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Five members of the West Virginia University women's basketball team were named to the 2022 Academic All-Big 12 first team, the Big 12 Conference announced Thursday.
Fifth-year senior center Blessing Ejiofor (master's in business administration), senior forward Kari Niblack (marketing), senior guard Madisen Smith (master's in sport coaching), junior guard KK Deans (sport management) and junior guard Jayla Hemingway (general business) all were named to this year's Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
This year marks the third Academic All-Big 12 selection for Niblack and Smith and the second for Deans and Ejiofor. Hemingway's selection is the first of her career.
This year ties the WVU program record for the most first-team selections to the Academic All-Big 12 Team. The Mountaineers also placed five student-athletes on the first team in 2019 and 2020.
First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better 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 20 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 are also eligible.
Fifth-year senior center Blessing Ejiofor (master's in business administration), senior forward Kari Niblack (marketing), senior guard Madisen Smith (master's in sport coaching), junior guard KK Deans (sport management) and junior guard Jayla Hemingway (general business) all were named to this year's Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
This year marks the third Academic All-Big 12 selection for Niblack and Smith and the second for Deans and Ejiofor. Hemingway's selection is the first of her career.
This year ties the WVU program record for the most first-team selections to the Academic All-Big 12 Team. The Mountaineers also placed five student-athletes on the first team in 2019 and 2020.
First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better 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 20 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 are also eligible.
Players Mentioned
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