Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Garners NWCA All-Academic Team Recognition
6/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
June 5, 2009
NWCA All-Academic Team Standings
NCAA Championships Final Team Standings
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Following a season in which it finished 13th in the nation as a team while becoming the only program to win an NCAA individual championship each of the last three years, Northwestern was recognized Thursday by the National Wrestling Coaches Association for its outstanding achievement in the classroom. NU's team GPA of 3.161 ranks seventh among all NCAA wrestling programs, seven spots ahead of the second-best Big Ten program.
None of the six teams ahead of Northwestern in team GPA recorded a better team finish at the NCAA Championships. Of those six programs ahead of NU, American University--which ranks No. 1 nationally in team GPA--posted the second-best team finish on the mats behind NU at No. 29.
"Combining academic and athletic success is obviously a goal that is hugely important to our program at Northwestern," said head coach Tim Cysewski. "We're really proud of the year our guys had in both areas. The Big Ten is the best wrestling conference in the country and it's great to see our team had the league's best GPA while competing at that high level."
In addition to the team recognition, three Wildcats also earned a spot on the NWCA's individual All-Academic team. Senior Jake Herbert (communication studies) and junior Brandon Precin (secondary teaching/history)--both NCAA All-Americans this season--as well as sophomore Keith Sulzer (industrial engineering) were recognized for their efforts in both athletics and academics, making Northwestern one of only four wrestling programs in the country to boast at least three honorees.
Of the 10 wrestlers who won individual titles at the 2009 NCAA Championships, just five--including Herbert--qualified for a spot on the All-Academic team roster. Herbert and Precin were among the 17 NCAA All-Americans (out of a possible 80) to make the All-Academic team.
A team's GPA is determined based on the GPAs of 12 student athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the school's conference tournament qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.
Individually, wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule--and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is have a 3.0 cumulative and earn NCAA All-American status.
