Ten Bison Wrestlers Earn Western Wrestling Conference Academic Honors

OREM, Utah - Following the recent completion of the 2011-12 school year, the Western Wrestling Conference has announced its All-Academic Team and Coaches' Honor Roll for the past season. This year's academic awards honor 61 student-athletes from the seven conference schools for their work in the classroom.

The All-Academic Team features 14 wrestlers who balanced school work and time on the mat to meet the sixth-year league's highest academic standards. North Dakota State and South Dakota State tied to lead all conference squads with three grapplers each on the list. Individually in the top two spots, NDSU's Tyler Johnson boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA in biological sciences while SDSU's Aaron Pickrel holds a 3.80 GPA in pre-medicine: biology.

Additionally 47 student-athletes were named to the Coaches' Honor Roll for their dedication to academics. Utah Valley University had the most wrestlers on the two combined teams with a total of 15, while Air Force was next with 12 grapplers named to the two lists.

To qualify for the All-Academic team, student-athletes had to secure a minimum 3.20 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or key reserve and be a sophomore or higher in academic standing. The Coaches' Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who have maintained a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

The Bison, Jackrabbits and Wolverines were also recognized for their academics by the NWCA a couple weeks as UVU had the fourth best team GPA in the nation with a 3.27, NDSU had the 11th best at 3.16 and SDSU had the 18th best at 3.09. Individually NDSU's Trent Sprenkle, SDSU's Pickrel, UVU's Josh Wilson and Wyoming's Alfonso Hernandez and Joe LeBlanc were all named the NWCA All-Academic Team.

The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming.

2011-12 WESTERN WRESTLING CONFERENCE ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Stephen (Gabe) Burak (NC), 165, Sr, 3.67 GPA, Master's Degree: Education
Jared Erickson (AF), HWT, Jr., 3.57 GPA, Civil Engineering
Avery Garner (UVU), 141, So., 3.26 GPA, Exercise Science
Alfonso Hernandez (Wyo), 197, Jr., 3.57 GPA, Kinesiology & Health Promotion
Tyler Johnson (NDSU), 174, Sr., 4.0 GPA, Biological Sciences
Taylor Kettman (UNI), 197, RFr., 3.36 GPA, Exercise Science
Joe LeBlanc (Wyo), 184, Sr., 3.45 GPA, Kinesiology & Health Promotion
Charles McMartin (NC), 157, RFr., 3.59 GPA, English: Secondary Teaching
Aaron Pickrel (SDSU), 125, RJr., 3.80 GPA, Pre-Medicine: Biology
Joe Skow (SDSU), HWT, Jr., 3.39 GPA, Sociology
Justin Solberg (NDSU), 133, Sr., 3.43 GPA, Business Administration
Trent Sprenkle (NDSU), 125, Jr., 3.74 GPA, Undecided
Josh Wilson (UVU), 149, Jr., 3.58 GPA, Accounting
Andrew Youngblom (SDSU), 149, So., 3.63 GPA, Graphic Design

2011-12 WESTERN WRESTLING CONFERENCE COACHES' HONOR ROLL
Riley Banach (UNI), 165, So., 3.04 GPA, Marketing: Sales
Jack Carda (AF), 197, Fr., 3.33 GPA, Management
Chase Cuthbertson (UVU), 157, Fr., 3.51 GPA, Business Management
Kyle Cuthbertson (UVU), 174, Fr., 3.58 GPA, Business Management
Dustin Dennison (UVU), HWT, Fr., 3.10 GPA, Communications: Speech Communication
Tyler Diamond (NDSU), 141, Jr., 3.10 GPA, Social Science
Nathan Garcia (UVU), 125, Fr., 3.02 GPA, Biology
Sam Graham (UVU), 174, Fr., 3.8 GPA, Business Management: International Business
John Gusewelle (NDSU), 197, R-Fr., 3.43 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
Kameron Hamley (NDSU), 141, Fr., 3.17 GPA, Computer Engineering
Cody Hancock (AF), 141, Fr., 3.39 GPA, Undeclared
Tanner Harms (Wyo), HWT, Fr., 3.84 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
Vance Hawk (AF), 174, So., 3.02 GPA, Biology
Devin Hightower (AF), 184, So., 3.02 GPA, Behavioral Sciences
Dylan Hyder (AF), 133, Fr., 3.19 GPA, Undeclared
Jarrett Jensen (UNI), 157, Fr., 4.0 GPA, Biology
Zac Jensen (UVU), HWT, So., 3.38 GPA, Exercise Science
Joe Johnson (UNI), 197, Sr., 3.27 GPA, Elementary Education
Paul Johnson (NDSU), 141, Jr., 3.16 GPA, Pharmacy
Tyler Johnson (SDSU), Jr., 3.39 GPA, Manufacturing Engineering
Evan Knutson (NDSU), Hwt, Fr., 3.71 GPA, Exercise Science
Cody Krumwiede (UNI), 285, Fr., 3.09 GPA, Undecided
Blake Mangum (UVU), 133, RFr., 3.64 GPA, Exercise Science
Jarod Maynes (UVU), 125, Fr., 4.0 GPA, Business Management: International Business
Eric McAllister (UVU), HWT, Jr., 3.18 GPA, Behavioral Science: Psychology
A.J. McBroom (UNI), 197, Fr., 3.21 GPA, Biology
Sam Mecham (UVU), 149, RFr., 3.62 GPA, Digital Media: Gaming & Animation
Jacob Milewski (NC), 157, Jr, 3.22 GPA, Nutrition
Steven Monk (NDSU), 157, So., 3.01 GPA, Physical and Health Education
Trevor Moore (AF), 174, Fr., 3.25 GPA, Electrical Engineering
Jason Mossing (AF), 174, Fr., 3.12 GPA, Computer Engineering
Brandon Mueller (AF), 157, Jr., 3.72 GPA, Physics
John Nething (SDSU), So., 3.18 GPA, Consumer Affairs
Jesse Nielsen (NC), 174, Jr, 3.16 GPA, Nutrition
Daniel Nissen (AF), 184, Jr., 3.27 GPA, Systems Engineering Management
Adam Perrin (UNI), 141, Fr., 3.37 GPA, Finance
Leland Pfeifer (Wyo), 197/HWT, RFr., 3.61 GPA, Geography
Onni Prestidge (UNI), 174, Sr., 3.18 GPA, Physical Education
Michael Poulos (Wyo), 174, Jr., 3.66 GPA, Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Mengyuan Qiu (AF), 125, Sr., 3.36 GPA, Economics
Monte Schmalhaus (UVU), 174, So., 3.17 GPA, Exercise Science
Robert Stroh (Wyo), 149/157, RFr., 3.15 GPA, Business Administration
Glenn Terrano (UVU), 141, 3.2 GPA, Community Health: Health Services Administration
Derek Thomas (UVU), 184, 3.07 GPA, Exercise Science
Joshua VanTine (NC), 184, RFr, 3.11 GPA, Exercise Science
Garrett Wells (AF), 174, Fr., 3.06 GPA, Legal Studies
Michael Wilde (NDSU), 184, RFr., 3.38 GPA, Criminal Justice