Oct. 23, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - 13 University of Missouri cross country runners made the Cross Country Academic All- Big 12 First and Second Teams, announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Overall, 112 runners in the conference earned the honor of Academic-All Big 12 as they head to the Big 12 Conference Championships in Lubbock, Texas, this Friday.

The list of Mizzou runners that made the first and second team can be found at the bottom of this release. The complete list can be found at big12sports.com.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the men's cross country academic all-league squad consisted of 36 first team members combined with 12 on the second team, while the women had 55 first team recipients and nine student-athletes on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA. Each nominated runner must also have competed in 60 percent of the teams races.

Mizzou showed once again that it is one of the best academic institutions in the Big 12 this season. Of the 36 men to meet the first team qualifications, five of them were Tiger runners while of the 55 women to make the first team, six were current Tigers. The Tigers also landed two women runners on the second team.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his/her 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 also eligible.

The Tigers will compete in the 12th annual Big 12 Championships Friday as the University of Texas Tech will host the championships for the first time in history. The race will take place at Tech's Rawls Golf Course starting at 11 a.m. (CT).

First Team: Michael Barrows, Jr., Business Administration, Flint, Mich. Tim Cornell, Jr., Bio Sciences, Columbia, Mo. Brian Graybill, Jr., Mechanical Engineering, Liberty, Mo. Dan Hedgecock, So., English, St. Louis, Mo. Ben Wade, So., Business, St. Charles, Mo.

First Team:

Kate Greer, Sr., Advertising, Marshalltown, Iowa Kasey Kimball, Sr., Biological Science, Eureka, Mo. Angela Potrykus, Jr., Journalism, Evergreen, Colo. Emily Ramsey, Sr., Social Work, Waukesha, Wis. Carolyn Rauen, Sr., Journalism, Cincinnati, Ohio Ellen Ries, Jr., Physical Therapy, Ryan, Iowa

Second Team:

Emily Baker, So., Education, Wildwood, Mo. Trisa Nickoley, Jr. Nutritional Science, Tecumseh, Kan.