Six Sooners Named Academic All-Big 12

OU Academic All-Big 12
Name	Class	Major
Natalie Brown	So.	Management
Chayse Capps	Jr.	Health & Exercise Science
Charity Jones	Jr.	Criminology
Keeley Kmieciak	Sr.	Management
Haley Scaman	Sr.	Management
McKenzie Wofford	Jr.	Human Relations

NORMAN — Six members of the No. 1 Oklahoma gymnastics teams were named 2016 Academic All-Big 12 selections, the conference announced Friday.

Sophomore Natalie Brown, juniors Chayse Capps, Charity Jones and McKenzie Wofford and seniors Haley Scaman and Keeley Kmieciak all received first-team recognition.

In each of head coach K.J. Kindler's 10 seasons at the helm of the OU program, at least five Sooners have received academic accolades from the Big 12. Kindler's teams have now earned a total of 69 such awards in her time at Oklahoma.

Overall, 26 Big 12 student-athletes earned the academic recognition this year, with 19 being placed on the first team and seven on the second team. Oklahoma's six selections were the most to the first team.

Seniors Keeley Kmieciak and Haley Scaman both earned their third career honors, with all of them coming on the first team. Named first-team honorees for the second straight season were juniors Chayse Capps and McKenzie Wofford. Rounding out the listing for OU were first-time honorees junior Charity Jones and sophomore Natalie Brown.

First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, while second-team picks must hold a GPA of 3.0-3.19.

To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 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.

The Sooners (20-1 overall, 3-0 Big 12) open postseason competition this weekend in Frisco, Texas, as they head to the 2016 Big 12 Championships inside Dr Pepper Arena. The meet will pit top-ranked OU against new conference member and No. 10 Denver, Iowa State and West Virginia. Competition is slated to begin at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday. Tickets to the championship can be purchased online.