Three Jayhawks named to Academic All-District squads

Academic All-District Men
Academic All-Distric
t Women

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday that Kansas track & field’s Nashia Baker, Riley Cooney and Hussain Al Hizam were selected to the Academic All-District Teams. The distinction is given to those who excel in the classroom and in their respective events. All three Jayhawks earned the honor for the first time in their careers.
 
Both Baker and Al Hizam registered perfect 4.0 grade point averages over the last academic year. Baker graduated two weeks ago with a degree in news and information, while Al Hizam just wrapped up his sophomore year in pursuit of a degree in finance. Cooney amassed a 3.95 GPA in her junior year at Kansas as she pursues an ecology, evolution and organismal biology degree.
 
In addition to the All-District awards, all three earned spots on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team released by the league office two weeks ago.
 
While Baker and Cooney have completed their 2017 campaigns, Al Hizam is still in action as he is set to compete at the NCAA West Preliminary on Friday. Al Hizam claimed the Big 12 Outdoor pole vault title two weeks ago at the league meet hosted in Lawrence and enters the postseason with the NCAA’s fifth-best mark of the season.
 
CoSIDA Academic All-District nominees must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and have competed in a standard proportion of their team’s meets. Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected next month. 
 
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