May 1, 2008

Ogden, UT --- After tying a record in the fall with 35 Big Sky All-Academic fall selections, Idaho State University nearly tied another record, as 37 Bengals were named Big Sky All-Academic for the winter season, one away from the record of 38 they set last year. The 37 gives Idaho State 72 for the year so far, one behind the record of 73 set last year for the first two seasons.

Montana State led all of the Big Sky schools with 44, the first time this decade that either Weber State or Eastern Washington did not garner the most All-Academic accolades. ISU's 37 tied for fourth in the season, behind Montana (39) and Weber State (38), and tying with Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona (37).

The Bengals had 17 women's track athletes honored, along with 12 men's track athletes, five women's basketball players, and three men's basketball players. Headlining the ISU basketball honorees was Matt Stucki, who was second team all-conference and Logan Kinghorn, who was honorable mention. In track, several all-conference winners also doubled up to earn all-academic honors, including Levi Keller, Saheed Khan, Brad Silvester, Lois Ricardi, Sydney Wendt, Cassie Merkely, Kasie Scott, and Gemma Maini.

Eastern Washington has totaled 79 All-Academic honors through the winter, and Montana is next at 75, Weber State at 74, and Idaho State is fourth at 72.

The Bengals actually could have had a few more honorees as well, as several student-athletes met one part of the criteria, but not the other. To qualify, a student-athlete must have participated in at least half of the team's competitions and have a 3.2 average (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA at the conclusion of the most recently completed term. Transfer students must have completed at least one academic term at their current Big Sky institution, but the GPA considered will be that earned at the Big Sky Conference institution.

Men's Basketball (3)
Name Class Major GPA
Matt Stucki Junior Management 3.661
Logan Kinghorn Senior Health Care Admin. 3.470
Demetrius Monroe Sophomore Mass Communications 3.284

Women's Basketball (5)
Name Class Major GPA
Kaylynn Fager Senior Physical Education 3.807
Devin Diehl Sophomore Undecided 3.584
Oana Iacovita Sophomore Computer Info. Systems 3.557
Michelle Grohs Junior Psychology 3.467
Jenna Brown Junior Mass Communications 3.399

Men's Indoor Track and Field (12)
Name Class Major GPA
Dmitry Beresnev Junior Computer Info. Systems 3.967
Trevor White Freshman CE 3.952
Ryan Davis Freshman Management 3.847
Reagan Ward Freshman Undecided 3.786
Levi Keller Senior Phyiscal Education 3.626
Sam Pierson Sophomore Nursing 3.625
Eric Strand Freshman Physical Education 3.443
Branden Teeter Senior Physical Education 3.430
Ben Layman Senior Political Science 3.284
Saheed Khan Senior Physical Education 3.260
Tysun Rickards Senior Psychology 3.344
Brad Silvester Junior Biology 3.239

Women's Indoor Track and Field (17)
Name Class Major GPA
Chealse Kropushek Freshman Nursing 3.944
Lois Ricardi Senior Mass Communications 3.874
Jenny Downey Senior Zoology 3.810
Erica Wendt Freshman Secondary Education 3.756
April Jaynes Freshman Dentistry 3.557
Suzanne Stoddard Sophomore Health Education 3.681
Sydney Wendt Sophomore Elementary Education 3.676
Haiden Siepert Freshman Nursing 3.594
Cassie Merkley Junior Mathematics 3.583
Kasie Scott Junior Nursing 3.532
Trinelle McKinley Junior Health Education 3.516
Emmy Korth Senior Nutritional Sciences 3.450
Nicole Yurek Senior Physical Education 3.412
Carrie Talbot Sophomore Secondary Education 3.390
Amanda Janowitz Senior Physical Education 3.368
Carrie Connett Junior Health Education 3.235
Gemma Maini Junior Zoology 3.250