This year’s team comprises 135 student-athletes. Four Division I champions made the team, while six additional runners-up were included. In all, 35 All-Americans were All-Academic selections, including UNI’s Max Thomsen.
Thomsen took fifth place at the NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships in March. He is joined on the all-academic team by two-time All-American Dylan Peters and two-time NCAA qualifier Bryce Steiert.
Of the 135 individuals on the all-academic team, 115 wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Division I championships, up from 101 last season and an increase of 19 since 2014-15.
“In the current landscape of college athletics, it’s imperative that our programs perform in the classroom and show their value to the school, not just in performance on the mat, but performance in the classroom,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “We have teams actively trying to break into the top 30 of the All-Academic standings, because it’s something they can be proud of as a team and something their administrators can be proud of as a school.”
The Big Ten had five teams represented, while the Mid-American Conference saw five of its nine members in the top 30.
Link to list of individuals: http://bit.ly/2okd9VM
Link to list of top 30 teams: http://bit.ly/2opBc4H
UPCOMING BANQUET
UNI wrestling’s annual banquet is open to the public this year, and no RSVP is needed. A social will start at 2 p.m. April 22 at UNI’s Strayer-Wood Theatre. The program will begin at 2:30 p.m. Parking will be available in the West Gym lot. No meal is planned. Beverages and light appetizers will be available.
