May 14, 2002

Dallas, Texas - The Big 12 Conference takes great pleasure in honoring 246 student-athletes who have been named to the 2002 Women's and Men's Track and Field Academic All-Big 12 Teams the conference office announced Tuesday.

Special recognition goes to 12 individuals who were nominated with a 4.0 grade point average. These student-athletes include Iowa State's Barbara Szlendakova, Kansas' Eve Lamborn and Abby Nielsen, Missouri's Ann marie Brooks and Ann Snider, Oklahoma's Sara Justice and Kelli O'Rourke, and Texas Tech's Brittney Lanehart and Megan Schuessler on the women's squad. Kansas' Brian Blachly and Oklahoma's Andrew Crabbe and Darren Hutchins were men's 4.0 honorees.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the track and field academic all-league squads consisted of 208 first-team members with 38 on the second-team. First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 or better grade-point average, while the second-team are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her/his 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 eligible.

Many of these student-athletes will be in competition at the sixth Big 12 Conference Women's and Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 17-19 at the Audrey J. Walton Track-Soccer Complex in Columbia, Mo. Kansas State won last year's women's outdoor Big 12 track and field title. Texas A&M is the men's defending outdoor conference champ. Complete schedules for the 2002 Big 12 Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships are available at the league's website at www.big12sports.com.

Women first-team	                        Men first-team
Tracie Akerhielm, So., ESS	                Ryan Curry, So., Finance/Real Estate
Brittney Lanehart, So., ESS	                Olavi Paavo, So., Civil Engineering
Katie Lyman, RS-Fr., ESS
Jennifer Marabel, So., Business Admin.
Megan Schuessler, So., ESS
Shannon Spaulding, Philosophy; English (minor)