.png&width=42&height=42&type=webp)
University of Minnesota Athletics
Thirty-One Gophers Named Academic All-Big Ten
12/7/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 7, 2012
The Big Ten has honored Minnesota's fall sports teams with 70 Academic All-Big Ten selections, conference officials recently announced. Thirty-one of those honored are members of the Minnesota football team.
In order to qualify for Academic All-Big Ten honors, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a career grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better.
The Gophers were second in the conference in football honorees after Northwestern, which had 34 Academic All-Big Ten selections. Minnesota had 18 selections last year, so it increased this year's total by 13.
Included among the football honorees were defensive starters Michael Amaefula, Cameron Botticelli, Keanon Cooper, Aaron Hill, Mike Rallis and Brock Vereen. On offense, starters Jon Christenson, Derrick Engel, Drew Goodger, Ed Olson, Tommy Olson and John Rabe, who was already named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, all earned the academic accolade.
Minnesota Football 2012 Academic All-Big Ten Selections
FOOTBALL (31)
Michael Amaefula - So., Undeclared, Arlington, Texas
Joey Balthazor - Sr., Economics, Hartland, Wis.
Brendan Beal - Gr., Graduate Studies, Bangor, Pa.
Alex Bisch - Sr., Kinesiology, Northfield, Minn.
Joe Bjorklund - So., Undeclared, Rosemount, Minn.
Cameron Botticelli - Jr., Political Science, Milwaukee, Wis.
Foster Bush - Jr., Undeclared, Menasha, Wis.
Jon Christenson - Jr., Biochemistry, Minnetonka, Minn.
Theiren Cockran - So., Pre Computer Science, Homestead, Fla.
Keanon Cooper - Gr., Applied Kinesiology, Dallas, Texas
Devin Crawford-Tufts - So., Undeclared, Edina, Minn.
Derrick Engel - Jr., Business and Marketing Education, Chaska, Minn.
Jake Filkins - Sr., Kinesiology, Prescott, Wis.
Drew Goodger - So., Undeclared, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Ryan Grant - Gr., Applied Kinesiology, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Mike Henry - Sr., Business and Marketing Education, Mahtomedi, Minn.
Aaron Hill - Sr., Kinesiology, St. Charles, Mo.
Marcus Jones - So., Undeclared, Wake Forest, N.C.
Grayson Levine - So., Undeclared, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Jephte Matilus - So., Communication Studies, Delray Beach, Fla.
Steven Montgomery - So., Undeclared, Miramar, Fla.
Peter Mortell - So., Marketing, Green Bay, Wis.
Ed Olson - Sr., Business and Marketing Education, Mahtomedi, Minn.
Tommy Olson - So., Communication Studies, Mahtomedi, Minn.
John Rabe - Sr., Business & Marketing Education, Iowa Falls, Iowa
Mike Rallis - Sr., Marketing, Edina, Minn.
David Schwerman - Sr., Accounting, Kettle Moraine, Wis.
Max Shortell - So., Undeclared, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Cedric Thompson - So., Undeclared, Calipatria, Calif.
Brock Vereen - So., Communication Studies, Valencia, Calif.
Jordan Wettstein - Sr., Accounting, DePere, Wis.
