April 28, 2005

Abbey Earns Academic Award

NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 

            Kearney, NE – Nebraska-Kearney senior wrestler Brcye Abbey was recently awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship.

            The Goodland, Kans., native holds a 3.47 cumulative GPA as an exercise major.

            The NCAA awards 170 postgraduate scholarships annually, 85 for men and 85 for women. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their last year of intercollegiate athletics competition.

            The one-time grants of $ 7,500 are awarded for fall, winter, and spring sports. Each season there are 28 scholarships available for men and 28 scholarships available for women. The scholarships are one-time, nonrenewable grants. 

            Of the 28 male winners in the winter, Abbey was one of just four wrestlers to earn the award. The other Division II recipient, Aaron Graumann of Augustana, wrestled Abbey twice this season.

            Abbey, the first UNK wrestler to earn this award, was a four-time All-American and a three-time Academic All-American. He leaves UNK with the most victories in school history (134) and is one of only two Lopers to earn All-American status all four years.

            Other Lopers to earn the award recently include Nick Branting (men's basketball) and Kelli Brummer (volleyball).

            The complete postgraduate list can be found at www.ncaa.org.