MANHATTAN, Kan. – Led by 18 individuals nominated with a perfect 4.0 GPA, Kansas State fall student-athletes in the sports of men’s and women’s cross country, football, soccer and volleyball combined for 72 Academic All-Big 12 honors, as the conference office announced its fall accolades on Tuesday.

The 72 student-athletes honored were tied for the third most in the league. The Wildcats had 64 student-athletes named to the first team and an additional eight on the second team.

Those that were nominated with a perfect 4.0 GPA include men’s cross country runners Kerby Depenbusch, Matthew Hauser and Mike Rohlinger; women’s cross country runners Sydney Burton and Helen Giefer; football players Cooper Beebe, Robert Hentz II, Will Howard, Austin Moore and Chris Tennant; soccer players Adah Anderson, Shannon Dukes, Caylee Thornhill, Maddie Weichel and Alaina Werremeyer; and volleyball players Kadye Fernholz, Loren Hinkle and Mackenzie Morris.

K-State led the conference in the number of cross country athletes nominated with a 4.00 GPA with five.

In football, the Wildcats ranked third in the league overall and tied for first with 29 first-team honorees. Since 2014, the Wildcats have totaled a league-leading 270 Academic All-Big 12 performers, 32 more than the next closest team.

Among the soccer programs on the 2022 Academic All-Big 12 awards, K-State had the second-most honorees with 16. In its seven seasons of action, Kansas State has now received 85 Academic All-Big 12 citations including 76 first team honors.

K-State volleyball’s three student-athletes that were nominated with 4.0 GPAs tied for the most in the league. Since 2015, 67 Wildcats have received Academic All-Big 12 accolades with 60 being named to the first team.

First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, while the second-team selections hold 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 20 percent of their 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.