Sixteen Cyclone Athletes Achieve Academic Perfection

[Jeremy]

Sixteen Cyclone Athletes Achieve Academic Perfection

Student athletes excel in classroom and competition

June 15, 2006

AMES,Iowa-Sixteen Iowa State athletes have excelled, not only in their individual sports, but also in the classroom. Academic excellence doesn't come easy when balancing a division one sport and a perfect 4.0 is even harder to attain.

Volleyball standout Nicole Lorenzen achieved academic excellence. The senior was named first-team academic all-Big 12 honoree for the third straight year and named ESPN the Magazine's Academic All-District VII second team.

"Being a 4.0 student-athlete is about being committed, studying hard, and applying yourself," Lorenzen said. "Doing those things makes it easy to be successful."

Junior swimmer Lindsay Wiesner who is majoring in human health and performance reached the top academically and says that budgeting time is most important.

"Managing time each night for studying and homework is the key," Wiesner said. "I try to set aside two or three hours every night after swim practice for studying so I don't fall behind."

Mankato, Minn., native Jessica Shin achieved perfection this semester. The women's golfer earned first-team academic all-Big 12. Shin finished ninth in the Big 12 championships and currently holds the record for the lowest score ever in a tournament by a Cyclone individual. The junior is majoring in biochemistry and wants to attend medical school at Northwestern University.

"Commitment to both golf and class work keeps me on track," said Shin. "It's about being dedicated because there is not much free time for anything else."

One of Iowa State's former gymnastics top performers, Kacey Oiness, left her mark as a Cyclone. ESPN The Magazine named the Henderson, Nev. native an Academic All-District VII honoree. Oiness claimed the 2006 Big 12 floor title notching a career-high 9.950 to help the Cyclones clinch their second Big 12 Championship. Oiness says balancing academics while you are on the road can be tough.

"Working while I'm traveling and bringing study materials with me helps me keep up while I'm away," said Oiness. "Occasionally I have to miss class but I use the time on the bus to get caught up."

2004 track and field national qualifier Agata Kosuda's hard work paid off. Along with recording a 4.0 grade point the senior jumper from Poland set a personal record at the Big 12 meet in 2005 where she landed a Big 12 title in the triple jump.

4.0 Honorees:
Cary Akins -Softball
Kandice Beenken -Women's basketball
Melissa Fender -Swimming
Alyssa Gintant -Volleyball
Leslie Hansell -Soccer
Paul Huddle -Men's golf
Agata Kosuda -Women's track
Nicole Lorenzen -Volleyball
Kacey Oiness -Gymnastics
Shannon Parker -Swimming
Abby Reinert -Women's basketball
Jessica Shin -Women's golf
Heidi Van Boening -Women's track
Amy Vos -Volleyball
Lindsay Wiesner -Swimming
Erika Zoller -Women's track

[ornryactor]

That's really fantastic. But...

15 of them are women. There is one man on that list. What's worse, that seems to be the status quo all over the place. Why is it that so many male student-athletes are average students if they're lucky? It seems like you can choose any D-1 program out there, and the women are beating the pants off the men, academically speaking.

[CyinCo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ornryactor @ Jun 15 2006, 12:52 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'> That's really fantastic. But...

15 of them are women. There is one man on that list. What's worse, that seems to be the status quo all over the place. Why is it that so many male student-athletes are average students if they're lucky? It seems like you can choose any D-1 program out there, and the women are beating the pants off the men, academically speaking. [/b][/quote]



I find that interesting as well. Will there ever be a day when we see a starting QB or starting PG on a men's bball team with a 4.0? I know there have been some smart players on the teams in the past but they aren't usually starters. What is the connection between starting and not being a great student (for the men). Is it that they all have hopes of playing professional sports? Not sure, but an interesting question.