March 3, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. -

For the second year in a row, Kansas basketball juniors Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed were named to the Academic All-Big 12 squad, the conference office announced Wednesday. Both student-athletes were honored as members of the 2010 Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

This marks the second year in a row Reed has been selected to the first team. A native of Burlington, Kan., Reed is majoring in exercise science, with a minor in business. He has appeared in every game of the 2009-10 season, providing solid minutes off the bench. He is averaging 4.3 points per game in 15.0 minutes. He has been a major factor in the Jayhawks’ three-point game, as he has knocked down 30 treys throughout the season, which is the third-highest on the KU squad.

Aldrich, a communication studies major, earned his first Academic All-Big 12 First Team honor, after having been named to the second team in 2009. In addition to the league recognition, Aldrich was recently named the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Basketball Academic All-American of the Year.

The Bloomington, Minn., native has started all 27 games this year, averaging 11.4 points per game and a team-leading 10.0 rebounds per game. He has also blocked 106 shots so far in the season, for an impressive 3.7 bpg average. Aldrich was the co-preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and has twice been named Big 12 Player of the Week.

To qualify for Acadmeic All-Big 12 recognition, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his 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.

The academic all-league squad consists of 12 first team members combined with nine on the second team.  First team members include those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

2010 Academic All-Big 12 MEN’S BASKETBALL Team

First Team (3.20-plus GPA)

Name, School                                         Class        Major                                                                      Hometown             
Josh Lomers, Baylor                             Sr.            Human Resource Management & Finance     Boerne, Texas
Trey Eckloff, Colorado                         So.           Business-Finance                                                  Englewood, Colo.
Levi Knutson, Colorado                       Jr.            Business-Finance                                                  Littleton, Colo.
Cole Aldrich, Kansas                               Jr.            Communication Studies                                           Bloomington, Minn.
Tyrel Reed, Kansas                                 Jr.            Exercise Science/Business-Minor                          Burlington, Kan.
Chris Merriewether, Kansas State    Sr.            Finance                                                                   Jacksonville, Fla.
Victor Ojeleye, Kansas State              So.           Business Administration                                     Ottawa, Kan.
Beau Gerber, Oklahoma                     Sr.            Mechanical Engineering                                      Winfield, Kan.
Dogus Balbay, Texas                           Jr.            Middle Eastern Studies                                         Istanbul, Turkey
Damion James, Texas                         Sr.            Education/Social Work                                        Nacogdoches, Texas
Gary Johnson, Texas                            Jr.            Education/Social Work                                        Houston, Texas
Shawn Schepel, Texas A&M               Sr.            Nuclear Engineering                                           Flower Mound, Texas

Second Team (3.00 to 3.19 gPA)

Name, School                                         Class        Major                                                      Hometown             
Casey Crawford, Colorado                   Jr.            Political Science                                  Overland Park, Kan.
Laurence Bowers, Missouri               So.           Undeclared Arts & Sciences               Memphis, Tenn.
J.T. Tiller, Missouri                             Sr.            Business                                               Marietta, Ga.
Ryan Wright, Oklahoma                      Sr.           Human Relations-Graduate              Mississauga, Ontario
James Anderson, Oklahoma State   Jr.            Education                                              Junction City, Ark.
Justin Mason, Texas                            Sr.            Education/Social Work                       Amarillo, Texas
Alexis Wangmene, Texas                   So.           French                                                    Maroua, Cameroon
Robert Lewandowski, Texas Tech     So.           Exercise and Sports Sciences            Overland Park, Kan.
Mike Singletary, Texas Tech              Jr.            Business Administration                    Humble, Texas