March 19, 2004

Wrestling Has Highest Ever Team GPA

Nine Lopers Make All-Academic Team

            Kearney, NE - Not only did the Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team have the highest GPA in all of NCAA Division II this year, according to the Wrestling Coaches Association, but the Lopers cumulative effort of a 3.519 was the highest team GPA ever recorded in the 11-year history of the award.

            In addition, nine different Lopers made the Associations' All-Academic team.

            The Division II W.C.A. released its All-Academic team and its top 15 team GPA's recently. The Lopers are the seventh different school, and the third from the RMAC, to win the "Academic National Championship".

            Last year, UNK had the nation's second best GPA (3.362) with 10 individuals on the All-Academic squad.           

            The team GPA is calculated by averaging the cumulative grade point averages of ten wrestlers of which eight must have competed at regionals.

            Ironically, the two teams behind UNK also were from Nebraska in Chadron State (2nd) and UNO (3rd). RMAC-members Colorado Mines (5^th) and Western State (15^th) made the list as well.

            To be nominated for the All-Academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA, be in his second full year at his school, be a varsity team member or key reserve, demonstrate a degree of skill and have two letters of recommendation submitted on his behalf.

            UNK's three All-Americans this year -- juniors Bryce Abbey (Goodland, Kans.) and Adam Keiswetter (Kearney) and sophomore Jeff Sylvester (Lyman) -- each were on the All-Academic first-team.

            Sylvester, who won the 197 lbs. national championship last Saturday, has a 3.13 GPA as a Multimedia major while Abbey, a three-time All-American at 125 lbs., maintains a 3.42 GPA in Exercise Science.

            Keiswetter, a two-time All-American at 133 lbs., currently has a 3.71 GPA in Health/Physical Education.

            Fremont junior Aaron Dalton, a two-time NCAA qualifier at 165 lbs., earned All-Academic second-team honors thanks to a 3.12 GPA in Biology. North Platte junior Jered Jorgensen, the Lopers starter at heavyweight this year, also was on the second-team with a 3.52 GPA in Biology. 

            Earning honorable mention honors were Lincoln junior Jake Froscheiser (3.63/Health & P.E.), Greeley junior Tyler Herman (3.68/Health & P.E.), Colorado sophomore Todd Shank (3.51/Biology) and Wyoming sophomore Josh Tolin (3.55/Political Science).

            Keiswetter and Jorgensen made the squad for the third straight year while Abbey, Dalton, Froscheiser, Herman and Shank earn the honor for the second time.

            UNK recently had its fifth Top 10 finish at the NCAA Championships since 1998 and has won four of the past five RMAC/West Region titles.       

            The complete team list follows.