Feb. 26, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Sixteen members of the 22nd-ranked Tiger women's swimming and diving team were honored to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday. The announcement comes one day before the team begins competing in the Big 12 Championships, Wednesday through Saturday, in Austin.
Those Tigers named to the all-league first team include seniors Jill Bastien, Katie Gates, Arica Jacinto, Sarah Menefee and Taye Patterson, juniors Coralie Baumann, Allie Bennett, Kayla Bowcutt, Kirsten David, Jill Granger, Lori Halvorson, Kendra Melnychuk and Erin Yeager, and sophomores Colleen Gordon and Kristin Viger. Earning a spot on the second team was sophomore Molly Bollen.
The Tiger women were the most represented Big 12 squad on the first team with 15 student-athletes. Overall, the Tiger men and women's squads had 28 student-athletes named to the conference teams, the most during Hoffer's 16-year tenure at Missouri.
Members of the annual all-league teams are nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and media relations offices. This year, the men's squad consisted of 30 first-team and six second-team members. On the women's side there were 61 first-team recipients and 15 selected to the second team. First-team members include those who have maintained a 3.20 or higher GPA, while the second team consists of those maintaining a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
In order to qualify, student-athletes are required to maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulatively or over the two previous semesters. In addition, they must have participated in 60 percent of his or her 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.
Mizzou's Academic All-Big 12 Selections
First Team:
Jill Bastien / Sr. / Accounting / St. Louis, Mo.
Coralie Baumann / Jr. / Biology / South Elgin, Ill.
Allie Bennett / Jr. / Journalism / Toronto, Ontario
Kayla Bowcutt / Jr. / Journalism / Clive, Iowa
Kirsten David / Jr. / Nutritional Sciences / Spring, Texas
Katie Gates / Sr. / Communication / The Woodlands, Texas
Colleen Gordon / So. / Nursing / Missouri City, Texas
Jill Granger / Jr. / General Studies / Midland, Texas
Lori Halvorson / Jr. / Mechanical Engineering / Tulsa, Okla.
Arica Jacinto / Sr. / Psychology / Phoenix, Ariz.
Kendra Melnychuk / Jr. / French / Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Sarah Menefee / Sr. / Journalism / Louisville, Ky.
Taye Patterson / Sr. / Biology / Val-Des-Monts, Quebec
Kristin Viger / So. / Pre-Journalism / Fort Collins, Colo.
Erin Yeager / Jr. / Communication / Minnetonka, Minn.
Second Team:
Molly Bollen / So. / Communication / Carrollton, Texas
