MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Nov. 14, 2023) – Twenty-four West Virginia University student-athletes have been named to the 2023 Academic All-Big 12 At-Large Teams, the conference announced Tuesday.
The team recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at institutions who participate in sports outside of Big 12 competition, including rifle and men's soccer.
Redshirt senior defender Dyon Dromers of the men’s soccer team (Masters of Sports Management) and senior’s Calista Smoyer (Communication Sciences and Disorders) and Verena Zaisberger (Sports Management) each achieved a perfect, 4.0 grade-point average (GPA) and represented the Mountaineers on the first team. Dromers, Smoyer and Zaisberger were three of eight honorees on the conference-wide list who earned a 4.0 GPA.
Fourteen additional student-athletes from the men's soccer team joined Dromers on this year's squad, including, Ryan Baer (Sport Management), Joseph Biafora (Marketing), Elijah Borneo (Exercise Physiology), Ciro Bourlot Jaeggi (Finance), Jacob Castro (Master’s in Finance), Ryan Crooks (General Business), Aaron Denk Gracia (Master’s in Business Administration), Frederik Jorgensen (Sport Management), Kasimir Lauber (Industrial Engineering), Kyle Lehnert (Sport & Exercise Psychology), Otto Ollikainen (General Business), Sergio Ors Navarro (Exercise Physiology), Bjarne Thiesen (General Business) and Max Trethewey (Civil Engineering), who all were named to the first team.
For the rifle team, Malori Brown (exercise physiology), Tal Engler (exercise physiology), Becca Lamb (computer science), Molly McGhin (psychology), Natalie Perrin (Sports and Adventure Media) and Matthew Sanchez (Finance) and all joined Smoyer and Zaisberger on the first team.
Moreover, Akihito Shimizu from rifle was recognized on the second team.
First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 GPA or better, while the second-team selections hold a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA. A total of 68 student-athletes earned recognition on the teams across the league.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters. 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 team recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at institutions who participate in sports outside of Big 12 competition, including rifle and men's soccer.
Redshirt senior defender Dyon Dromers of the men’s soccer team (Masters of Sports Management) and senior’s Calista Smoyer (Communication Sciences and Disorders) and Verena Zaisberger (Sports Management) each achieved a perfect, 4.0 grade-point average (GPA) and represented the Mountaineers on the first team. Dromers, Smoyer and Zaisberger were three of eight honorees on the conference-wide list who earned a 4.0 GPA.
Fourteen additional student-athletes from the men's soccer team joined Dromers on this year's squad, including, Ryan Baer (Sport Management), Joseph Biafora (Marketing), Elijah Borneo (Exercise Physiology), Ciro Bourlot Jaeggi (Finance), Jacob Castro (Master’s in Finance), Ryan Crooks (General Business), Aaron Denk Gracia (Master’s in Business Administration), Frederik Jorgensen (Sport Management), Kasimir Lauber (Industrial Engineering), Kyle Lehnert (Sport & Exercise Psychology), Otto Ollikainen (General Business), Sergio Ors Navarro (Exercise Physiology), Bjarne Thiesen (General Business) and Max Trethewey (Civil Engineering), who all were named to the first team.
For the rifle team, Malori Brown (exercise physiology), Tal Engler (exercise physiology), Becca Lamb (computer science), Molly McGhin (psychology), Natalie Perrin (Sports and Adventure Media) and Matthew Sanchez (Finance) and all joined Smoyer and Zaisberger on the first team.
Moreover, Akihito Shimizu from rifle was recognized on the second team.
First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 GPA or better, while the second-team selections hold a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA. A total of 68 student-athletes earned recognition on the teams across the league.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters. 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.
