IRVINE, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2023) -- A total of 409 student-athletes who compete in the fall sports of men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball across The Big West were honored for their work in the classroom and on the playing field as members of the 2022 Big West Fall Academic All-Conference Team. The 409 student-athletes honored is an improvement from last year’s number of 399.
In order to qualify for the Academic All-Conference honor, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.00 cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA), must have completed one full academic year at the member institution prior to the season for which the award is being received, and must have competed in at least 50 percent of the institution's contests in the student-athlete's respective sport, with the exception of cross country student-athletes. In the sport of cross country, a student-athlete must have competed in either 50 percent of the institution’s events or participated in the Conference Championship.
Nine of the 409 student-athletes honored boast a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA with Cal Poly's John Bennett (men's cross country), CSUN's Ashley Cruz (women's soccer), CSUN's Lauryn Anderson (women's volleyball), CSUN's Elizabeth Gannon (women's volleyball), Hawai'i's Kylie McNamara (women's soccer), Long Beach State's Katie Kennedy (women's volleyball), UC San Diego's Tess Rounds (women's cross country), UC San Diego's Isabelle Shepherd (women's cross country) and UC Santa Barbara's Lauren Lum (women's cross country).
By sport, women’s soccer had by far the most honorees with 119 student-athletes named to the team. Women’s cross country had 88, followed by men’s soccer and women’s volleyball, each with 76. Men’s cross country rounded out the rest of the sports with 50.
By school UC Santa Barbara had the most student-athletes honored with 54. Not far behind the Gauchos was UC San Diego with 51 and UC Irvine with 50. Cal Poly (45) and UC Davis (44) also had over 40 earn the conference’s academic accolade.
The Big West recognizes individuals academically per season – fall, winter, and spring – for all conference-sponsored sports. The Winter Academic All-Conference Team will honor men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes, with the Spring Academic All-Conference Team consisting of student-athletes from men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s water polo, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s volleyball, beach volleyball, softball and baseball.
| 2022 Big West Fall Academic All-Conference Team |
| School |
Honorees |
| Cal Poly |
45 |
| Cal State Fullerton |
38 |
| CSU Bakersfield |
18 |
| CSUN |
22 |
| Hawai'i |
22 |
| Long Beach State |
23 |
| Sacramento State (men's soccer only) |
11 |
| UC Davis |
44 |
| UC Irvine |
50 |
| UC Riverside |
31 |
| UC San Diego |
51 |
| UC Santa Barbara |
54 |