The Iowa Wrestling team placed nine wrestlers on the 2017 Big Ten Winter Academic All-Conference team. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten, the student-athletes must be a letterwinner and in at least their second academic year. They must also carry a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
Three of the wrestlers to make the team were varsity and all have achieved All American status on the mat as well. Senior Alex Meyer was an All-American last season at 174 lbs. and was a two year starter for the Hawks. Meyer also won the J. Donald McPike award last week for having the highest GPA on the wrestling team.
Brandon Sorensen and Michael Kemerer were also named to the academic team. Sorensen, a junior, is a three-time All American at 149 lbs. Michael Kemerer just finished an outstanding freshman season where he placed third at 157 lbs.
To have 30% of you varsity lineup and another wrestler that saw varsity action in Phillip Laux on this academic team is impressive. From someone that was around the program, I can tell you that the first order of business for Tom Brands when he took over as head wrestling coach at Iowa was to improve the academics. Should you ever hear Coach Brands talk to the team before a practice, you will hear the emphasis that he puts on academics. Strong academics is selling point of Iowa Wrestling that I believe should receive more attention.
Congratulations to the student-athletes and the Iowa Wrestling program.
2017 Big Ten Winter Academic All-Conference team
Name – Year – Major – Hometown
Stephen Alvarez – So. – English & Creative Writing – Spring Valley, Calif.
Michael Kemerer – So. – Business – Murrysville, Pa.
Phillip Laux – Jr. – Finance – Brighton, Iowa
Logan McQuillen – Sr. – Health & Human Physiology/Biology – Monticello, Iowa
Aaron Meyer – So. – Health & Human Physiology – Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Alex Meyer – RS Jr. – Chemistry/Human Physiology – Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Keegan Shaw – So. – Business – Altoona, Iowa
Brandon Sorensen – Jr. – Sport & Recreation Management/Enterprise Leadership – Cedar Falls, Iowa
Vince Turk – So. – Communications Studies – Hampshire, Ill.
