University of Minnesota Athletics
Six Gophers Tabbed Academic All-District
5/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
MINNEAPOLIS - Six Golden Gopher student-athletes have been recognized as CoSIDA Academic All-District award recipients, it was announced on Thursday. Hannah Brandt (women's hockey), Jessica Flakne (rowing), Michael Kroells (wrestling), Lindsay Mable (women's gymnastics), Brett Pfarr (wrestling), and Lee Stecklein (women's hockey) were tabbed as at-large first team honorees.
The University of Minnesota now has 21 total Academic All-District honorees this year. These six honorees are now eligible for Academic All-America accolades in June and will look to join Brandon Lingen (Football) and Paige Tapp (Volleyball) as 2015-16 CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees.
Hannah Brandt earns her second CoSIDA Academic All-District nod after taking home All-District and Academic All-America honors last season. Brandt led the Gopher women's hockey team to the program's seventh national title in 2016. She was honored as a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist for the fourth-straight season along with receiving AHCA/CCM First Team All-American, All-USCHO, and All-WCHA honors. The Vadnais Heights, Minn., native is a three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete and WCHA All-Academic Team honoree and will graduate with a degree in health and wellness through the University of Minnesota's Inter-College Program.
Jessica Flakne is a varsity team captain and has recorded two first-place finishes and five second-place finishes this season, competing in five regattas. A three-time Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree, she was twice selected as a CRCA Scholar-Athlete. The Maple Plain, Minn., native was also selected to the Capital One Academic All-District At-Large Team in 2015.
Michael Kroells is a repeat Academic All-District honoree, earning the recognition for the second time and continuing to maintain a near-perfect GPA as he works toward an aerospace engineering degree. In addition to his academic honors, which also include multiple awards from the Big Ten and the National Wrestling Coaches' Association, Kroells is coming off his most successful season on the mat for the Gophers. He placed seventh in the NCAA tournament last spring, securing his second All-America season and becoming the 51st multiple-time All-American in program history. Kroells set several new career-highs last season, including wins (35) and major decisions (eight).
This season, Lindsay Mable closed her collegiate athletics career with a bang. The Aurora, Colo., native earned the AAI Award, which is considered the Heisman Trophy in gymnastics. Mable was also named back-to-back Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. She boasts 18 career All-America accolades, including seven this season and won the All-Around and Beam individual titles at the Big Ten Championships. Mable is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and was named the female recipient of the Big Ten Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award. Over the course of her career at Minnesota, Mable accrued 96 individual event titles and 26 All-Around titles.
Brett Pfarr bumped up from wrestling at 184 pounds as a redshirt sophomore to 197 last season, but the jump in his performance dwarfed a mere 13-pound change. Pfarr spent much of the season ranked in the top-five at his weight nationally, finishing the season with a third-place performance at the NCAA Championships to earn his first career All-America honor. On his way to the podium, Pfarr won 40 matches, becoming the first Gopher to reach that mark in nearly a decade, and finished undefeated in dual competition, including all of his conference matches. Pfarr, who grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota, maintains a 3.78 GPA in agriculture and food business management.
Lee Stecklein earns her first CoSIDA Academic All-District nod this season. The Roseville, Minn., native is a two-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete and WCHA All-Academic Team honoree along with being a two-time AHCA/CCM Second Team All-American and All-WCHA First Team selection. She served as a co-captain with Brandt this season, leading the Gophers to their second-straight and seventh overall NCAA title. Stecklein posted a career-high 30 points, scoring eight goals and adding 22 assists. The junior is studying Entrepreneurial Management in the Carlson School of Management.
Gopher Student-Athletes Recognized on 2015-16 CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams
Paige Tapp (Volleyball)*
Hannah Tapp (Volleyball)
Katie Schau (Volleyball)
Briean Boddy-Calhoun (Football)
Jon Christenson (Football)
Brandon Lingen (Football)*
Rashida Beal (Soccer)
Rachel McCloskey (Soccer)
Josee Stiever (Soccer)
Taylor Stainbrook (Soccer)
Joanna Hedstrom (Women's Basketball)
Shayne Mullaney (Women's Basketball)
Carlie Wagner (Women's Basketball)
Matt Fiedler (Baseball)
Sam Macken (Softball)
Hannah Brandt (Women's Hockey)
Jessica Flakne (Rowing)
Michael Kroells (Wrestling)
Lindsay Mable (Women's Gymnastics)
Brett Pfarr (Wrestling)
Lee Stecklein (Women's Hockey)
*Also honored as CoSIDA Academic All-America selections.
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Players Mentioned
