University of Minnesota Athletics
Ness, Thorn Named NWCA All-Academic
5/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Manheim, Pa. - The University of Minnesota wrestling team was represented by a pair of athletes on the 2010 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I All-Academic Team, as is was announced May 5. Golden Gopher senior Jayson Ness was joined by junior Mike Thorn as All-Academic honorees.
To be eligible for the honor, the student-athletes must maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, be a NCAA qualifier or have won 60% of his total schedule, while competing in at least 60% of the team's schedule. The other way to qualify is to maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have been a NCAA All-American.
A Bloomington, Minn. native, Ness, graduated with a 3.281 GPA in Technology Education last December, and is currently in his first semester of graduate school, working on his Master's of Education. This is the second time on the NWCA All-Academic team for the senior 133-pounder, who recently won his first National Championship and claimed his fourth All-America honor at the NCAA Tournament last March.
Ness went a perfect 31-0 on the season, including 10 wins over ranked opponents and 19 wins by fall. He was also named Team MVP recently at the annual post season awards banquet, and was named to his second Academic All-Big Ten team.
Thorn, a native of St. Michael, Minn., is owner of a 3.085 GPA in Business Marketing and Education, and is named to the NWCA All-Academic Team of the first time. Thorn appeared in his second NCAA Tournament this season, winning his first All-America honor with a seventh place finish at 141.
He also won his first Big Ten title, and was named to his first Academic All-Big Ten team. Thorn went 29-7 on the season, posting team highs with 11 major decisions and five techs falls, while also posting nine wins by fall.
Ness and Thorn are among 74 individuals from across the country, representing 45 schools on the All-Academic Team. The list also includes 62 NCAA qualifiers, 18 All-Americans, seven NCAA finalists, and five NCAA champions. They are also among 17 athletes from the Big Ten to be honored.
Players Mentioned
