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Five Gophers Earn Academic All-America Honors for At-Large Sports
8/6/2021 9:41:00 AM | Athletics, Men's Gymnastics, Men's Hockey, Gymnastics, Women's Hockey
Jack LaFontaine, Lexy Ramler, Shane Wiskus, Ona Loper and Grace Zumwinkle represented the Gophers in today's honors.
MINNEAPOLIS – Five more University of Minnesota student-athletes have earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as the College Sports Information Directors of America announced this year's at-large teams on Friday morning.
The Gophers garnered a trio of First Team Academic All-Americans in Jack LaFontaine (men's hockey), Lexy Ramler (women's gymnastics) and Shane Wiskus (men's gymnastics) while Ona Loper (women's gymnastics) and Grace Zumwinkle (women's hockey) earned Second Team Academic All-America merits. Minnesota has earned a total of seven CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades this year with Blais Andries (First Team, football) and Laura Bagwell Katalinich (Third Team, women's basketball) earning honors earlier this season. Eight Gophers remain eligible for the award with cross country and track & field closing out this year's award calendar next week.
Recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution in order to be nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America. Nominees are voted on by CoSIDA members throughout the year.
An English major from Mississauga, Ontario, LaFontaine won the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goaltender in 2021 and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player. A First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection, the senior captain was also named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and led Minnesota to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten pick and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, LaFontaine was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2021.
An entrepreneurial management major from St. Michael, Minn., Ramler is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She is a nine-time NCAA All-American, a 13-time WCGA Regular-Season All-American and the 2021 AAI Award recipient. The 2021 NCAA Regional All-Around champion is a three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year and a five-time Big Ten champion, having also helped Minnesota to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title.
A business and marketing education major from Spring Park, Minn., Wiskus is a three-time NCAA champion and the 2021 Nissen-Emery Award winner as the nation's outstanding senior. The three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year is also a three-time NCAA all-around runner-up while earning 15 total All-America nods and three First Team All-Big Ten accolades. He won four Big Ten titles in 2021 including all-around honors and represented the U.S. at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The team captain is also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
A graduate student in epidemiology from Bluffton, S.C., Loper is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She has earned three NCAA All-America honors in 2021 and is a four-time WCGA Regular-Season All-American. The 2021 Big Ten champion on the floor and all-round runner-up is a three-time First Team All-Big Ten pick while also helping Minnesota claim the 2021 Big Ten tournament title. Loper is also a three-time NCAA regional event champion.
A finance major from Excelsior, Minn., Zumwinkle is a three-time WCHA All-Academic and Academic All-Big Ten selection. The team captain was a Second Team All-American and a finalist for Patty Kazmaier Award in 2021. The four-time All-WCHA selection led the Gophers in goals and points this year and ranks 10th in program history with 84 career goals. Zumwinkle is also a candidate to make the U.S. Women's National Team for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
The Gophers garnered a trio of First Team Academic All-Americans in Jack LaFontaine (men's hockey), Lexy Ramler (women's gymnastics) and Shane Wiskus (men's gymnastics) while Ona Loper (women's gymnastics) and Grace Zumwinkle (women's hockey) earned Second Team Academic All-America merits. Minnesota has earned a total of seven CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades this year with Blais Andries (First Team, football) and Laura Bagwell Katalinich (Third Team, women's basketball) earning honors earlier this season. Eight Gophers remain eligible for the award with cross country and track & field closing out this year's award calendar next week.
Recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution in order to be nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America. Nominees are voted on by CoSIDA members throughout the year.
An English major from Mississauga, Ontario, LaFontaine won the Mike Richter Award as the nation's top goaltender in 2021 and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player. A First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection, the senior captain was also named the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and led Minnesota to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten pick and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, LaFontaine was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2021.
An entrepreneurial management major from St. Michael, Minn., Ramler is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She is a nine-time NCAA All-American, a 13-time WCGA Regular-Season All-American and the 2021 AAI Award recipient. The 2021 NCAA Regional All-Around champion is a three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year and a five-time Big Ten champion, having also helped Minnesota to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title.
A business and marketing education major from Spring Park, Minn., Wiskus is a three-time NCAA champion and the 2021 Nissen-Emery Award winner as the nation's outstanding senior. The three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year is also a three-time NCAA all-around runner-up while earning 15 total All-America nods and three First Team All-Big Ten accolades. He won four Big Ten titles in 2021 including all-around honors and represented the U.S. at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The team captain is also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
A graduate student in epidemiology from Bluffton, S.C., Loper is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. She has earned three NCAA All-America honors in 2021 and is a four-time WCGA Regular-Season All-American. The 2021 Big Ten champion on the floor and all-round runner-up is a three-time First Team All-Big Ten pick while also helping Minnesota claim the 2021 Big Ten tournament title. Loper is also a three-time NCAA regional event champion.
A finance major from Excelsior, Minn., Zumwinkle is a three-time WCHA All-Academic and Academic All-Big Ten selection. The team captain was a Second Team All-American and a finalist for Patty Kazmaier Award in 2021. The four-time All-WCHA selection led the Gophers in goals and points this year and ranks 10th in program history with 84 career goals. Zumwinkle is also a candidate to make the U.S. Women's National Team for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
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