Academic All-Big West recipients for the conference’s nine spring sports were announced Friday, and the Long Beach State had 23 student-athletes honored for their work in the classroom.

To be eligible for consideration, student-athletes have to maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA, participate in at least 50% of the team’s contests and be at least a sophomore academically.

The 49ers had 23 athletes in seven sports honored in the spring. Women’s track and field led the way for The Beach, with eight athletes receiving All-Big West honors in Missy Barclay, Cheryl Bube, Katie Crowe, Carly Harris, Anastasiya Kholbev, Ejiro Okoro, Amanda Rosencrantz, and Kristina Wilson. The men’s side for track and field also had multiple qualifiers in Alex Black and Collin Cram.

Women’s water polo had four athletes honored in Kalina Houck, Meaghan Leonard, Lauren Sieprath and Kristen Stragier, and women’s tennis added three with Big West Player of the Year Hannah Grady and All-Big West selections Jessica Weeks and Deborah Armstrong.

Sophomore Lindsey McAtee earned Academic All-Big West honors for the women’s golf team, and two softball players, Ashley Levine and Jonae Perez were also selected.

Three Dirtbag players also qualified for the award, as seniors Anthony Carillo and Tyler Topp joined junior Adam Wilk as award winners for Long Beach State’s baseball team.

Men’s Volleyball also had two players selected for academic honors earlier in the year, as outside hitters Tommy Pestolesi and Kyle Friend picked up the nod from the MPSF as released in late May.

With the 25 student-athletes honored for the spring, Long Beach State’s total on the year was 60 49ers who qualified for academic conference honors over the course of the 2008-09 academic year.

Report By LBSU Sports Information Department