ACADEMIC SUCCESS
Nebraska increased its nation-leading total of CoSIDA Academic All-America awards to 320, adding six Huskers in 2014-15. Junior guard Shavon Shields (Olathe, Kan., Biological
Sciences, 3.767 GPA) became NU’s first-ever first-team Academic All-American in men’s basketball. Senior sprinter John Welk (Bismarck, N.D., Nutrition Science, 3.996 GPA), who was
Nebraska’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year, led three first-team CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for the men’s track and field program. Welk, who was honored as the Academic AllAmerican of the Year in men’s track and field, was joined by Levi Gipson (Lincoln, Neb., Nutrition, Exercise and Health Science, 3.950 GPA) and Drew Wiseman (Bismarck, N.D., Electrical
Engineering, 3.959 GPA). Junior gymnast Ethan Lottman (Omaha, Neb., Art, 3.995 GPA) earned second-team Academic All-America status. Sophomore outfielder Ryan Boldt (Red Wing,
Minn., Nutrition Science, 3.785 GPA) was a third-team Academic All-American in baseball.
In 2014-15, Lottman was one of three Huskers to win the NCAA Elite 89 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the
finals site for each of the NCAA’s 89 championship events. Nebraska’s other two recipients of the prestigious award were Wiseman and senior thrower Will Lohman (Chewelah, Wash.,
Criminology and Criminal Justice, 4.000 GPA) who claimed the honors in indoor and outdoor men’s track and field, respectively.
Graduation is the ultimate achievement, and 118 Husker student-athletes earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in three commencement exercises at Pinnacle Bank Arena in
2014-15. At the conclusion of the academic year, Nebraska student-athletes posted an impressive 3.155 cumulative GPA.
In April, Nebraska celebrated 25 years of the Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet with “A Night at the Lied” that became the Husker version of the Emmys, Oscars and ESPYs rolled into one.
More than 1,400 attended the celebration that was capped with Nebraska Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst (above left) and Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany (above right) presenting the
Student-Athlete-of-the-Year awards and Big Ten Medals of Honor to Jessie DeZiel (above second from left) and John Welk (above third from left). DeZiel, a senior from Rogers, Minn., was a nine-time
All-American for the Nebraska women’s gymnastics team. Welk, a senior from Bismarck, N.D., was a three-time All-American sprinter for the track and field team. Welk was also the 2015 CoSIDA
Academic All-American of the Year in men’s track and field.
Husker setter Mary Pollmiller capped her career in 2014 as an AVCA honorable-mention All-American. Off the court, Pollmiller was a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner, Tom Osborne
Citizenship Team member and academic All-Big Ten selection before earning her degree in May 2015.
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2015 NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL