Dec. 7, 2011

Official Big Ten Release

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern broke its own school record for Academic All-Big Ten awards in a single-sport season for the fifth-consecutive year with 97 winners in six fall sports, the conference office announced today (Dec. 7).

NU's 97 total accolades shatters last season's then-record mark of 90 (which was up from 84 in the fall of 2009, 75 in the fall of 2008 and 68 in the fall of 2007). Northwestern football recorded its second-straight season with more than 30 awards, earning 31 after establishing a program record with 32 last year. NU football again led the conference in Academic All-Big Ten award winners, topping second-place Nebraska's total of 27.

Among NU's conference honorees are four Capital One Academic All-District first-team football selections as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Doug Bartels (Caledonia, Ill./Rockford Boylan Catholic), Jacob Schmidt (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander), Patrick Ward (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) and Kevin Watt (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) picked up those awards.

Also among Northwestern's Academic All-Big Ten award winners are many who excelled on the field of competition, highlighted by Big Ten field hockey Offensive Player of the Year Chelsea Armstrong, Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year Drake Dunsmore, first-team All-Big Ten cross country runner Audrey Huth and first-team All-Big Ten volleyball selection Stephanie Holthus.

To earn Academic All-Big Ten recognition, an athlete must be in his/her second year at the institution, letter in his/her sport and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

Instituted beginning in 2008-09, the conference office also will hand out the Distinguished Scholar Award at the end of the academic year. Student-athletes eligible for the Distinguished Scholar Award must be letter winners in at least their second year in residence at their institution. Qualifying student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.7 or higher for the current academic year, excluding summer school. The 3.7 GPA benchmark was designed to include the top 10 percent of all eligible student-athletes.

The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award was established by conference Faculty Representatives as an addition to the conference's Academic All-Big Ten program. The recipients will be honored prior to the fall of 2012 based on their GPAs from the 2011-12 academic year.

Following are Northwestern's 2011 fall season Academic All-Big Ten award winners:

Field Hockey (13)
Chelsea Armstrong, Jr. • Economics • Perth, Australia
Sherilyn DeStefano, Jr. • Sociology • South Kingston, R.I.
Shannon Disbrow, Jr. • Economics • Potomac, Md.
Catherine Franklin, So. • Communication Studies • Houston, Texas
Megan Jamieson, Gr. • Sports Administration • Toledo, Ohio
Maria Kovalchuk, So. • Classics • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Regan Mooney, Sr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Spring City, Pa.
Nikki Parsley, So. • Learning and Organizational Change • Milford, Del.
Kaylee Pohlmeyer, Sr. • Communication Studies • Severna Park, Md.
Julia Retzky, So. • Undeclared • Lake Forest, Ill.
Claire Thompson, Sr. • Communication Studies • San Jose, Calif.
Kelsey Thompson, So. • Undeclared • Ann Arbor, Mich.
Kristin Wirtz, So. • Secondary Teaching • Oak Park, Ill.

Football (31)
Colin Armstrong, Gr. • Economics (Undergrad) • Wheaton, Ill.
Brian Arnfelt, Sr. • Communication Studies • Lake Elmo, Minn.
Hayden Baker, So. • Undeclared • Trout Valley, Ill.
Brendan Barber, Sr. • Political Science • Erie, Pa.
Doug Bartels, Gr. • Liberal Studies • Caledonia, Ill.
Jeff Budzien, Jr. • Economics • Hartland, Wis.
Ibraheim Campbell, So. • Undeclared • Philadelphia, Pa.
Bo Cisek, Sr. • Communication Studies • Chicago, Ill.
Kain Colter, So. • Undeclared • Denver, Colo.
Drake Dunsmore, Sr. • Communication Studies • Lenexa, Kan.
Collin Ellis, So. • Undeclared • St. Gabriel, La.
Pat Hickey, Jr. • Economics • Chicago, Ill.
Paul Jorgensen, So. • DeWitt, Mich.
Jordan Mabin, Gr. • Sports Administration • Northfield Center, Ohio
Bryce McNaul, Gr. • Economics (Undergrad) • Eden Prarie, Minn.
Al Netter, Sr. • Economics • Rohnert Park, Calif.
Dan Persa, Sr. • Communication Studies • Bethlehem, Pa.
Brian Peters, Gr. • Sports Administration • Pickerington, Ohio
John Plasencia, Jr. • Economics • Tampa, Fla.
Tim Riley, Jr. • Economics • Oswego, Ill.
Jacob Schmidt, Gr. • Higher Education Administration • Rhinelander, Wis.
Adonis Smith, So. • Undecided • Oakland, Calif.
Mike Trumpy, Jr. • Economics • Wheaton, Ill.
Timmy Vernon, Jr. • History • Fort Washington, Pa.
Brandon Vitabile, So. • Undeclared • Edison, N.J.
Patrick Ward, Jr. • Mechanical Engineering • Home Glen, Ill.
Kevin Watt, Gr. • Liberal Studies • Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Tim Weak, Sr. • Communication Studies • Omaha, Neb.
Ricky Weina, Gr. • Economics • Union Grove, Wis.
Brandon Williams, Jr. • Mechanical Engineering • Nappanee, Ind.
Quentin Williams, Sr. • Political Science • Pittsburgh, Pa.

Women's Cross Country (19)
Julia Buford, Sr. • Civil Engineering • Chicago, Ill.
Hallie Busta, Sr. • Journalism • Jackson, Ohio
Rachel Edwards, Sr. • Biomedical Engineering • Eden Prarie, Minn.
Sophie Ewald, Sr. • Environmental Sciences • Berlin, Germany
Lexie Goldsmith, So. • Mechanical Engineering • Orland Park, Ill.
Ashley Greenwell, Jr. • Industrial Engineering • St. Louis, Mo.
Angie Henry, Jr. • Political Science • Hopkins, Minn.
Audrey Huth, Jr. • Philosophy • Shelby, Mich.
Rachel Kaminski, Sr. • Social Policy • Green Bay, Wis.
Libby Kocha, So. • Undecided • Burlington, Wis.
Allegra Mayer, Jr. • Integrated Science and Environmental Sciences (double major) • Palo Alto, Calif.
Sari Nahmad, Jr. • Industrial Engineering • Miami, Fla.
Lauren Neuschel, Jr. • Journalism • Wilmette, Ill.
Sheila O'Neill, Sr. • Mechanical Engineering • Dunwoody, Ga.
Nicole Oliver, So. • Biomedical Engineering • Pottstown, Pa.
Ann Powers, So. • Undecided • New York, N.Y.
Moira Ryan, Jr. • History • Washington, D.C.
Charlotte ter Haar, So. • Biomedical Engineering • Davis, Calif.
Molly Waterhouse, Sr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Vicksburg, Mich.

Men's Soccer (10)
Jarrett Baughman, Jr. • Communication Studies • Bloomington, Ind.
Nick Gendron, Jr. • Communication Studies • Ramsey, N.J.
Jonathan Harris, Sr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Arlington Heights, Ill.
Connor Holloway, So. • Undeclared • Deerfield, Ill.
Scott Lakin, So. • Undeclared • Deerfield, Ill.
Layth Masri, So. • Undeclared • Louisville, Ky.
Peter O'Neill, Sr. • Political Science • Fairway, Kan.
Jeff Rogers, So. • Communication Studies • Birmingham, Mich.
John Rogers, Sr. • History • Birmingham, Mich.
Tommy Tombridge, Jr. • Communication Studies • Springfield, Mo.

Women's Soccer (17)
Kate Allen, So. • Communication Studies • Whitehouse, Ohio
Caroline Dagley, Sr. • Communication Studies • San Rafael, Calif.
Katie Doyle, Sr. • Secondary Teaching • St. Charles, Ill.
Nicole Duller, Sr. • English • Los Altos, Calif.
Jill Dunn, Sr. • Communication Studies • Naperville, Ill.
Meredith Finsand, Jr. • Communication Studies • Edina, Minn.
Maggie Graham, So. • Undeclared • Seattle, Wash.
Sam Hatfield, So. • Undeclared • Crossfield, Alberta, Canada
Nicole Jewell, So. • Undeclared • Raleigh, N.C.
Natalie Lagunas, So. • Undeclared • Canyon Country, Calif.
Emily Langston, Sr. • Psychology • Los Altos, Calif.
Bo Podkopacz, So. • Learning and Organizational Change • Plymouth, Minn.
Jessica Rubin, Jr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Naperville, Ill.
Alison Schneeman, Sr. • Communication Studies • St. Paul, Minn.
Julie Sierks, So. • Industrial Engineering • Edina, Minn.
Sarah Sroka, Sr. • Secondary Teaching • Geneva, Ill.
Briana Westlund, Jr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Cottage Grove, Minn.

Volleyball (7)
Alex Ayers, Sr. • Radio/Television/Film • Playa Del Rey, Calif.
Julie Chin, Jr. • Economics • Naperville, Ill.
Kathryn Chrystal, Jr. • Performance Studies • Crystal Lake, Ill.
Katie Dutchman, So. • Undeclared • Del Mar, Calif.
Mary Grace Gallagher, Sr. • Political Science and International Studies • Atlanta, Ga.
Stephanie Holthus, So. • Undeclared • Burlington, Ill.
Madalyn Shalter, Jr. • Human Development and Psychological Services • Ottawa, Ohio