30 KU athletes on academic list

A total of 30 Kansas University student-athletes were named to the 2016 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Teams, the league office announced Tuesday.

Twelve Jayhawk women placed on the first team, led by sophomore Hannah Dimmick, one of 12 women with a perfect 4.0 GPA, doing so for the second-straight year. Kansas had five other women who earned a first team nod for the second-consecutive season, including seniors Daina Levy and Dasha Tsema as well as juniors Malika Baker, Nashia Baker and Grace Pickell. Seniors Julia Dury and Rachael Schaffer, junior Jennifer Angles, and sophomores Courtney Coppinger, Dorie Dalzell and Laura Taylor were listed on the first team for the first time.

On the men’s side, 10 KU student-athletes earned a spot on the first team. Seniors Ben Brownlee and Evan Landes secured first team spots for the third time and were joined by junior Nick Maestretti, who achieved first team status for the second-straight season. Jayhawks earning a first-team nod for the first time included seniors Matt Berkshire and Phil Stand, juniors Kenny Boyer, James Hampton and Nick Meyer and sophomores Nick Giusti and Ezekiel Welch.

Rounding out KU’s academic award winners were eight second-team selections, five men and three women. For the men, seniors Brandon Bernal, Casey Bowen and Drew Matthews as well as sophomores Nicolai Ceban and Brandon Lombardino were named to the team. For the women, senior Rhavean Anderson and juniors Whitney Adams and Zainab Sanni made the second-team list.