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'Cats Lead B1G with School-Record 127 Fall Academic Honorees

12/11/2019 3:35:00 PM | Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Cross Country & Track, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Field Hockey, Academic Services & Student Development

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern led all Big Ten Conference institutions with a school-record 127 student-athletes earning Academic All-Big Ten honors for the fall season, the league office announced Wednesday.
 
"Year after year our Northwestern student-athletes exceed raised expectations in the classroom, while simultaneously giving back to the community and excelling in competition," said Combe Family Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Jim Phillips. "To shatter the school-record for Academic All-Big Ten honorees again, at a Top-10 university, is a testament to the culture these exceptional young men and women have built. The entire University community should be extremely proud of this group."
 
The Wildcats' 127 student-athletes, representing six varsity sports, topped the previous high of 118, which was set in the fall of 2018. The Northwestern football (57), men's soccer (15) and volleyball (13) programs each led their respective sports in total number of honorees. It was only the second time in program history that the Wildcats' football program surpassed the 50-honoree mark. 
 
Field hockey had 16 recipients, which ranked second among Big Ten programs and was the most in program history since at least 2012. Northwestern women's cross country had 12 student-athletes earn the academic distinction, while women's soccer had 14 representatives.
 
For the first time since the award was instituted in 2008-09, all six programs tallied double-digit honorees, and it was the first time since 2016 that Northwestern has led the conference in total number of recipients.
 
To earn Academic All-Big Ten distinction, an athlete must be in at least their second year at the institution and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0-or-better.
 
The fall Academic All-Big Ten announcement comes on the heels of a remarkable 2018-19 academic year with unprecedented marks in the classroom.
 
All 19 varsity programs combined to post a team grade point average of 3.41 in the spring quarter, while the average student-athlete GPA was a 3.40 – both are the highest marks on record for a single quarter. An amazing 83% of student-athletes finished the final quarter of the academic calendar with a GPA above 3.00, while 46 Wildcats finished with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
 
For the 2018-19 academic year, the average team grade point average was a record 3.383 and a school-record 265 student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction.
 
The Office of Academic Services & Student Development is a vital force in supporting the athletic department's mission of providing a world-class academic experience for student-athletes by providing a comprehensive array of programs and services.
 
FIELD HOCKEY (16)
Lakin Barry Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Chapel Hill, N.C.
Kayla Blas Northwestern So. Mechanical Engineering Pendleton, N.Y.
Christen Conley Northwestern Jr. Economics Oak Park, Ill.
Shannon Daley Northwestern So. Economics Sudbury, Mass.
Saar de Breij Northwestern Sr. Political Science Utrecht, The Netherlands
Katie Esselman Northwestern Sr. Neuroscience Louisville, Ky.
Lily Gandhi Northwestern Sr. Economics London, England
Erica Hootstein Northwestern Sr. Statistics Wayland, Mass.
Casey Joye Northwestern So. Undeclared Los Altos, Calif.
Lily Katzman Northwestern Sr. Journalism St. Louis, Mo.
Mackenzie Keegan Northwestern Jr. Human Communication Sciences Delran, N.J.
Shannon Lackey Northwestern So. Chemical Engineering Fleetwood, Pa.
Kirsten Mansfield Northwestern Gr. Psychology West Chester, Pa.
Florien Marcussen Northwestern Jr. Environmental Sciences Soest, The Netherlands
Maren Seidel Northwestern So. Undeclared Cologne, Germany
Kaitlin Wood Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Weston, Mass.

FOOTBALL (57)
Drake Anderson Northwestern So. Undeclared Chandler, Ariz.
Chris Bergin Northwestern Jr. Economics Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Joe Bergin Northwestern Sr. Economics Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Willy Boatman Northwestern So. Undeclared Denver, Colo.
Jesse Brown Northwestern Sr. Mechanical Engineering Lilburn, Ga.
Brian Bullock Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Round Rock, Texas
Roderick Campbell Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies / African American Studies St. Louis, Mo.
Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change Minneapolis, Minn.
Paddy Fisher Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change Katy, Texas
Blake Gallagher Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Raynham, Mass.
Joe Gaziano Northwestern Gr. Communication Studies Scituate, Mass.
Sam Gerak Northwestern Jr. Biological Sciences Avon, Ohio
Tyler Gillikin Northwestern Sr. Biological Sciences Atlanta, Ga.
Trent Goens Northwestern Gr. Economics / Business Institutions Chino Hills, Calif.
Jason Goosen Northwestern Jr. Undeclared Virginia Beach, Va.
TJ Green Northwestern Gr. Economics / Business Institutions Leawood, Kan.
Cody Gronewold Northwestern Jr. Economics Lincoln, Neb.
Payne He'Bert Northwestern So. Undeclared Pearland, Texas
Berkeley Holman Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Irvine, Calif.
Troy Hudetz Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Naperville, Ill.
Bryce Jackson Northwestern Jr. Economics / Business Institutions Lantana, Texas
JJ Jefferson Northwestern So. Communication Studies Houston, Texas
Hunter Johnson Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Brownsburg, Ind.
Trevor Kent Northwestern Jr. Learning And Organizational Change Pittsburg, Kan.
Daniel Kubiuk Northwestern Gr. Sports Administration Barrington, Ill.
Charlie Kuhbander Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Springboro, Ohio
Will Lansbury Northwestern Jr. Learning And Organizational Change Pebble Beach, Calif.
Riley Lees Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change Libertyville, Ill.
Cody Link Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Madison, Wis.
Drew Luckenbaugh Northwestern Sr. Computer Science Spring Grove, Pa.
Andrew Marty Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Cincinnati, Ohio
Kyric McGowan Northwestern Jr. Learning And Organizational Change Dalton, Ga.
Peter McIntyre Northwestern Jr. Economics / Business Institutions Perrysburg, Ohio
Jesse Meyler Northwestern Sr. Psychology Toronto, Ontario
Alex Miller Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change Houston, Texas
Samdup Miller Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Houston, Texas
John Moten IV Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change St. Louis, Mo.
Erik Mueller Northwestern Jr. Biological Sciences Wheaton, Ill.
Greg Newsome II Northwestern So. Communication Studies Chicago, Ill.
Raymond Niro III Northwestern So. Journalism Barrington, Ill.
Devin O'Rourke Northwestern So. Undeclared Mokena, Ill.
Alex Oelsner Northwestern Jr. Economics Niow, Colo.
JR Pace Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies College Park, Ga.
Trey Pugh Northwestern Jr. Learning And Organizational Change Plain City, Ohio
Jaylen Rivers Northwestern So. Learning And Organizational Change Decatur, Ga.
Jake Saunders Northwestern Sr. Journalism Loveland, Ohio
Donovan Sermons                Northwestern  So. Communication Studies Pomona, Calif.
Charlie Schmidt Northwestern So. Communication Studies Libertyville, Ill.
Bennett Skowronek Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Fort Wayne, Ind.
Rashawn Slater Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies / Business Institutions Sugar Land, Texas
Aidan Smith Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Fort Wayne, Ind.
Peter Snodgrass Northwestern Jr. Economics / Business Institutions Palo Alto, Calif.
Joe Spivak Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Darien, Ill.
Jared Thomas Northwestern Gr. Journalism / African American Studies Indianapolis, Ind.
Nik Urban Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Willoughby, Ohio
Travis Whillock Northwestern Sr. Learning And Organizational Change Katy, Texas
Jason Whittaker Northwestern So. Learning And Organizational Change Rockford, Mich.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY (12)
Kelly O'Brien Northwestern Sr. Social Policy Palatine, Ill.
Amanda Davis Northwestern Jr. Psychology/Science In Human Culture Phoenix, Ariz.
Vanessa Garcia Northwestern So. Undecided Chicago, Ill.
Hannah Hall Northwestern So. Journalism Santa Ana, Calif.
Sielle Kearney Northwestern So. Human Development And Psychological Services Traverse City, Mich.
Rachel McCardell Northwestern So. Computer Science Bloomfield Village, Mich.
Sarah Nicholson Northwestern Sr. Economics Wildwood, Mo.
Jazmine Reyes Northwestern Sr. Journalism/Political Science Aurora, Ill.
Aubrey Roberts Northwestern Sr. Neuroscience/Science In Human Culture Eau Claire, Wis.
Sara Sara McCoy Northwestern So. Neuroscience Chicago, Ill.
Mary Schoonover Northwestern So. Radio/Television/Film Woodbury, Minn.
Olivia Verbeke Northwestern So. Human Development And Psychological Services Appleton, Wis.

MEN'S SOCCER (15)
Richie Bennett Northwestern So. Biological Sciences Carmel, Ind.
Jose Del Valle Northwestern So. Undeclared Madrid, Spain
Spencer Howard Northwestern Jr. Learning & Organizational Change Pacific Palisades, Calif
Sean Lynch Northwestern Sr. Economics / Business Institutions Naperville, Ill.
Bardia Kimiavi Northwestern So. Learning & Organizational Change Reston, Va.
Mac Mazzola Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Connor McCabe Northwestern So. Undeclared Scottsdale, Ariz.
Andrew McLeod Northwestern Sr. Economics / Business Institutions Overland Park, Kan.
Matt Moderwell Northwestern Sr. Computer Science Lake Forest, Ill
Garrett Opperman Northwestern Jr. Economics Minneapolis, Minn.
Ty Seager Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies/IMC West Chicago, Ill.
Mattias Tomasino Northwestern Sr. Communication Studies Miami, Fla.
Drew Viscomi Northwestern Jr. Human Development And Psychological Services Lookout Mountain, Tenn.
Robbie White Northwestern Sr. Communications Studies Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Julian Zighelboim Northwestern So. Undeclared Coral Gables, Fla.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (14)
Francesca Docters Northwestern So. Undeclared Larchmont, N.Y.
Madison Donley         Northwestern So. Journalism Grand Rapids,  Mich.
Kylie Fisher Northwestern Jr. Economics Scottsdale, Ariz.
Mikayla Hampton Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Cincinnati, Ohio
Nia Harris Northwestern Jr. Journalism Covina, Calif.
Madi Kennel Northwestern Jr. Economics Redondo Beach, Calif.
Olivia Korhonen Northwestern Gr. Journalism And International Studies Bethesda, Md.
Haley Lawson Northwestern So. Communication Studies Atlanta, Ga.
Lauren McCaffrey Northwestern So. Journalism San Clemente, Calif.
Chloe McGhee Northwestern So. Undeclared Saratoga, Calif.
Kayleigh Stahlschmidt Northwestern Jr. Biology St. Charles, Mo.
Regan Steigleder Northwestern Jr. Earth And Planetary Science Iowa City, Iowa
Olivia Stone Northwestern So. Undeclared Austin, Texas
Julietta Thron Northwestern So. Journalism Caldwell, N.J.

VOLLEYBALL (13)
Britt Bommer Northwestern Jr. Earth & Planetary Sciences Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Emily Ehman Northwestern Sr. Journalism Bloomington, Ind.
Ella Grbac Northwestern So. Human Development & Psychological Services Cleveland, Ohio
Sarah Johnson Northwestern Sr. Economics / Integrated Marketing Communications Certificate Pasadena, Calif.
Allie Lindroth Northwestern Sr. Human Development & Psychological Services / Sociology Plainfield, Ill. 
Michelle Lee Northwestern So. Cognitive Science Naperville, Ill.
Kiara McNulty Northwestern So. Computer Science Del Mar, Calif.
Lexi Pitsas Northwestern Jr. Human Development & Psychological Services Munster, Ind.
Nia Robinson Northwestern Jr. Journalism / Integrated Marketing Communications Certificate Indianapolis, Ind.
Olivia Viscuso Northwestern Sr. Neuroscience Arlington, Texas
Amy Wang Northwestern Jr. Economics / Kellogg Financial Economics Palo Alto, Calif.
Ivey Whalen Northwestern Jr. Journalism Eagle, Wis.
Danyelle Williams Northwestern Jr. Communication Studies Chicago, Ill.

Players Mentioned

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