Program-Best 24 Players Named to Academic All-Big 12 Football Team

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The Big 12 Conference announced today the members of the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Football Team.

West Virginia's 24 student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 team mark the most in program history, bettering the 23 on the 2019 squad.

Austin Brinkman, Jarret Doege, Zach Frazier, Garrett Greene, Casey Legg, Sean Mahone, Graeson Malashevich, Sean Martin, Reese Smith, Evan Staley and Winston Wright Jr., earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team distinction.

Leddie Brown, Jordan Jefferson, Nicktroy Fortune, Ja'Quay Hubbard, John Hughes, Tony Mathis, Jr., Akheem Mesidor, Parker Moorer, Mike O'Laughlin, Daryl Porter Jr., Malachi Ruffin, Taurus Simmons and Tyler Sumpter were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.

It marked Mahone and Staley's fifth straight time on the first team (first team in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) and third straight for O'Laughlin (first team - 2019, 2020, 2021) and second straight for Doege (first team in 2020, 2021), Hughes (first team in 2020, 2021), Legg (first team in 2020, 2021), Malashevich (first team in 2020, 2021) and Moorer (second team in 2020, 2021).

First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative for the two previous semesters and must have participated in 20% 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.

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