LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Big 12 All-Academic Release  

A great year in the classroom was recognized for nine University of Wyoming wrestlers, as they were selected to two academic teams recognized Thursday by the Big 12 Conference.

The team features 15 student-athletes from conference member institutions Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, while student-athletes from the league's affiliate members in the sport - Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming - total 42 selections.

First Team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the Second Team elections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA. The Big 12 released its annual Academic All-Big 12 wrestling teams which featured four Cowboys on the First Team and five Pokes on the Second Team. Senior Tanner Harms, junior Brandon Tribble and sophomores Luke Paine and Kyle Pope and were four of 38 First Team Academic All-Big 12 selections. Redshirt freshman Branson Ashworth, junior Jake Elliott, senior Jace Jensen and juniors Benjamin Stroh and Drew Templeman were named Second Team Academic All-Big 12.

It is the fourth Academic All-Conference honor for Harms in his career after being a three-time winner in the Western Wrestling Conference. Paine earned All-Academic honors by the WWC a season ago. The trio of Pope, Stroh and Tribble also earned Academic honors last season by the WWC.

To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of their team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.