Four Sooners Earn Academic Honors

NORMAN, Okla. -- Seniors Aaron Ivey, Joseph Hughes and Cory Williamson were named to the 2007 Academic All-Big 12 First Team, the league office announced on Tuesday. Junior Jarod Freeman was honored on the second team.

It marked the third time in Ivey's career that he was selected to the first team (first year players are not eligible for nomination). Ivey is one of four Sooners in program history to be named to the first team on three occasions, joining Casey Bookout (1997-99), Chris Ebright (1987-89) and Matt Reubel (1989-91).

Hughes, Williamson and Freeman were each selected for the first time in their careers.

Additionally, for the third consecutive year, Ivey was one of four student-athletes in the conference nominated with a 4.0 grade point average.

Tuesday's announcement comes one week after Ivey was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team and selected as one of 10 nominees for the 2007 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.

“The coaching staff is extremely proud of these student athletes for representing the University of Oklahoma and the baseball program in a first-class manner,” said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. “These four young men set the example for all of our athletes in how to perform on the field and in the class room.”

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the academic all-league baseball squad consisted of 36 first team members combined with 18 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have 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. All players nominated must have participated in 60 percent of their team's scheduled contests, while pitchers are required to have at least one inning pitched per game played by the team or have appeared in 20 percent of their team's total games. 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.

Next up for the Sooners is a three-game series against Texas Tech in Norman, which marks the end of the regular season for Oklahoma. Friday's opener is set for 7 p.m. and will be followed by games on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The Sooners are currently tied for seventh place in the Big 12 standings with Baylor (9-15), ahead of Kansas (8-15) and Texas Tech (7-16).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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