47 student athletes from UM fall sports teams have received Academic All-Big Sky honors, extending a record cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for student athletes for 11 and a half years.

UM Senior Associate Athletic Director Jean Gee said the awards are the epitome of being a successful student athlete, no matter what happens in the won-loss column.

"It encompasses both athletic and academic performance," Gee said. "There's a GPA requirement and a certain level of participation and that represents everything that we love about college athletics."

Gee said student athletes are held to a higher academic standard than students in the general population.

"That seems to change from year-to-year how it become more stringent, not only do they have higher academic requirements to become a Division One college athlete out of high school, but as soon as they become a Division One student athlete they have continuing academic requirements."

Gee said the Student Athlete Academic Center located at the Adams Center has played a vital role in the continued success of student athletes. There, students can access computer labs, tutoring, and a quiet space to study.

Gee said the same services are available to all students on the University of Montana campus.

Those making the All-Academic team from UM include;

Academic All-Big Sky Conference

Men’s cross country: Jonathan Eastwood (So., Women’s, gender and sexuality studies); Dawit Mengistu (Fr., Biology)

Women’s cross country: Jessica Bailey (So., Health and human performance); Reagan Colyer (Sr., Journalism); Bridget Creel (So., Biology); Samantha Engebretsen (Fr., Social work); Megan Franz (So., Biology); Madison Nagle (Gr., Economics); Emily Pittis (So., Business administration); Lauryn Wate (Sr., Marketing)

Football: James Banks (Jr., Chemistry); Colin Bingham (Fr., Health and human performance); Devon Dietrich (Sr., Marketing); Evan Epperly (So., History/political science); Brady Gustafson (Sr., Accounting); Aaron Held (Sr., Health and human performance); Ryan Johnson (Sr., Management); Robert Luke (Jr., Sociology); Dante Olson (Fr., Wildlife biology); Tim Semenza (Fr., Health and human performance); Makena Simis (Jr., History/political science); Cy Sirmon (Fr., Health and human performance)

Soccer: Madison Adams (So., Psychology); Payton Agnew (Sr., Elementary education); Tess Brenneman (Sr., Health and human performance); Charlene Burger (Jr., Elementary education); Jenna Castillo (Sr., Psychology); Kaitlin Crowell (Jr., Psychology/neuroscience); Janessa Fowler (So., Health and human performance); Mary Gintz (Sr., Marketing); Natalie Hein (So., Marketing); Allie Lucas (Jr., Communication studies); Taryn Miller (So., Economics); Kailey Norman (Sr., Management); Ellie Otteson (So., Health and human performance); Ashlee Pedersen (Jr., Health and human performance); Chanelle Pederson (Jr., Communication studies); Aspen Peifer (Sr., Biology); McKenzie Warren (So., Management); Raquel Watts (So., Health and human performance); Hallie Widner (So., Health and human performance)

Volleyball: Sadie Ahearn (Sr., Media arts/sociology); Missy Huddleston (Fr., Undeclared); Cassie Laramee (So., Sociology); Raegan Lindsey (Sr., Marketing); Katie Peck (So., Biology); Alexis Urbach (So., Sociology)

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