Sooners Honored for Academic Excellence

NORMAN – It's the time of year when excellence is honored and, for the 2016 Sooner track and field teams, outstanding efforts extend to the classroom. A total of 29 Sooners were named to the Big 12's All-Academic teams including 12 men and 17 women who were among the 222 Big 12 All-Academic Track and Field honorees. The 2016 Academic All-Big 12 Track & Field Team features 89 members on the men's team and 133 on the women's team.

OU's combined total of 29 was just one away from tying the overall best total of 30.

The men's team produced 10 first-team honorees while the women had 14 first teamers. Three women were named to the second team while the men had two named to the second team.

Of the Sooner honorees, two, Kelsey McKee and Zac Randall, were given special recognition for having a 4.00 cumulative GPA or a 4.00 GPA in the last two semesters. This marks their second year to be honored for a 4.00 GPA.

T.J. Noonan

T.J. Noonan is one of seven Sooners to earn Academic All-Big 12 honors three times.

One Sooner, Kate Foster, received her fourth Big 12 All-Academic honor. Seven Sooners, Avione Allgood, Elena Arriza, Brandon Doughty, Elizabeth Herrs, Garrison LeRock, Kelsey McKee and T.J. Noonan received honors in track and field for a third time in their career. Bianca Brazil, Jacob Burcham, Jenny Carmichael, Olivia Haggerty, Liam Meirow, Julia Reedy, Chase Sammons, Sarah Scott, Makayla Stephens, Sarah Tolson and Belle Wallace picked up honors for a second time. Many of those started with an All-Rookie team honor, given for the first time in 2012-13.

A total of 183 honorees are first-team selections (66 men, 117 women), while 39 members comprise the second teams (23 men, 16 women). Among those honored, 16 were nominated with 4.00 grade point averages.

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 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.

Oklahoma Academic All-Big 12
Name	Year	Major	Hometown
Eric Alldritt	Jr.	Petroleum Engineering	Bend, Ore.
Avione Allgood	RS-Jr.	Criminology	Las Vegas, Nev.
Rachel Bolton	Sr.	Human Relations	Cupertino, Calif.
Bianca Brazil	Jr.	Criminology	Frisco, Texas
Ashley Bryant	RS-So.	Human Relations	Newcastle, Okla.
Jenny Carmichael	RS-Jr.	Chemical Engineering	Tulsa, Okla.
Brandon Doughty	RS-Sr.	Administrative Leadership	Charles Town, W. Va.
Kate Foster	Sr.	Administrative Leadership	Mesquite, Texas
Olivia Haggerty	Jr.	Human Relations	Richardson, Texas
Elizabeth Herrs	Sr.	Criminology	Westmoreland, Kan.
Will Hogston	RS-Sr.	Multidisciplinary Studies	Indianapolis, Ind.
Kelsey McKee (*)	Jr.	Spanish	Tulsa, Okla.
Liam Meirow	So.	Human Resources Management	Dillon, Colo.
Charles Nguyen	Jr.	Finance	St. Thomas, Ontario
T.J. Noonan	Jr.	Chemical Engineering	Waltham, Mass.
Zac Randall (*)	Grad. Student	Global Studies	Marlow, U.K.
Julia Reedy	Sr.	Multidisciplinary Studies	Dove Canyon, Calif.
Chase Sammons	RS-Sr.	Arts and Sciences Planned Program	Edmond, Okla.
Dan Schubert	Sr.	Health and Exercise Science	Appleton, Wis.
Garrett Snow	Sr.	Criminology	Eagle Point, Ore.
Makayla Stephens	So.	Pre-Physician's Associate	Atoka, Okla.
Georgiana Tamez	Sr.	Human Relations	Monterrey, Mexico
Sarah Tolson	Sr.	Arts and Sciences Planned Program	Pawhuska, Okla.
Belle Wallace	So.	Undecided	Norman, Okla.
*() 4.00 GPA**
Second Team
Elena Arriaza	Jr.	Health and Exercise Science	Southlake, Texas
Jacob Burcham	Jr.	Mechanical Engineering	Barboursville, W.Va.
Daunicia Demerson	RS-Jr.	Human Relations	Houston, Texas
Garrison LeRock	Jr.	Computer Engineering	Colwich, Texas
Sarah Scott	RS-Fr.	Biology	Wylie, Texas

The Sooners leave for Fort Worth and the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships Thursday morning. Competiton begins on Friday focuses primarily on the multievent competition for the men and the women. The men will finish five of the 10 events in the decathlon while the women will compete in four of the seven heptathlon events. Also on tap for the first day are several field events and the men's and women's 10,000-meter run. The first event Friday, women's hammer, is scheduled for 9 a.m. with the final event, men's 10,000, scheduled for 9:15 p.m. The meet runs through Sunday.