Nov. 13, 2007

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Big 12 office announced Tuesday that Mizzou's Tatum Ailes, Lindsay Smith, Lei Wang, and Na Yang were named to the conference's Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Yang, a senior business major from Shan Dong, China, made the list the third-consecutive year. Ailes, a senior business major from Bellevue, Neb., is making her first appearance on the team. Smith, a senior nursing major from Hermann, Mo., is also a first-time member of the academic team. And, Lei Wang, a business major from Shanghai, China, made her first appearance to the list.

The Tigers have had at least four named to the Academic All-Big 12 team for each of the last five years.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the volleyball academic all-league team consisted of 44 first team members combined with nine 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.

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 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.

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