March 06, 2008
Texas A&M sophomore Chinemelu Elonu is among the 20 student-athletes named to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 Men?â„¢s Basketball Team, the league office announced on Thursday.
Elonu, an agricultural leadership major from Houston, has played in 28 games this season, averaging 2.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He was named to the second team.
Nominated by each institution?â„¢s director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the men?â„¢s basketball academic all-league team consisted of 10 first team members combined with 10 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
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 her team?â„¢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.
The Phillips 66 Big 12 Men?â„¢s Basketball Championship will return to Kansas City in 2008 at the newly-opened Sprint Center. It will be the home of the league championship for three of the next four seasons. The four-day, 11-game event is scheduled for March 13-16 in the final year of a Thursday ?- Sunday format.
2008 ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12 MEN?â„¢S BASKETBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM (3.20-PLUS GPA; * - INDICATES NOMINATED WITH A 4.00 GPA)
Name, School Class Major Hometown
Josh Lomers, Baylor So. Pre-Business Boerne, Texas
Mark Shepherd, Baylor Sr. MBA Austin, Texas
Jeremy Case, Kansas Sr. Graduate courses McAlester, Okla.
Sasha Kaun, Kansas Sr. Computer Science Melbourne, Fla.
Clent Stewart, Kansas State Sr. Business - MIS Tulsa, Okla.
Paul Velander, Nebraska Jr. Biological Sciences Blacksburg, Va.
Connor Atchley, Texas Jr. Corporate Communications Clear Lake, Texas
D.J. Augustin, Texas So. Education New Orleans, La.
Damion James, Texas So. Education Nacogdoches, Texas
Dexter Pittman, Texas So. Education Rosenberg, Texas
SECOND TEAM (3.00 TO 3.19 GPA)
Name, School Class Major Hometown
Mark Currie, Iowa State Sr. Civil Engineering Odebolt, Iowa
Alex Thompson, Iowa State Jr. Political Science Ames, Iowa
Russell Robinson, Kansas Sr. Communication Studies New York, N.Y.
Matt Lawrence, Missouri Jr. Finance St. Louis, Mo.
Taylor Griffin, Oklahoma Jr. Pre-Health/Exercise Science Oklahoma City, Okla.
Austin Johnson, Oklahoma Jr. Sociology-Criminology Amarillo, Texas
Justin Mason, Texas So. Education Amarillo, Texas
Ian Mooney, Texas Sr. Advertising - Graduate Austin, Texas
Chinemelu Elonu, Texas A&M So. Agricultural Leadership Houston, Texas
Trevor Cook, Texas Tech So. Business Economics Coppell, Texas