SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 Conference announced its inaugural Fall Academic Honor Roll for the 2019 season on Thursday, with California well represented across six sports. A total of 61 Golden Bears received Academic Honor Roll recognition, the second-most of any school in the conference.
Cal's 61 student-athletes are taking classes spread among 24 different majors at the No. 1 public university in the world.
The Pac-12 Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) recently recommended and the Pac-12 Council voted to approve a change to the all-academic selection process. Any student-athlete on his or her respective team roster with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above, and who has served at least one year in residence at the institution, is eligible to receive all-academic honors. There is no longer a selection process to determine all-academic teams for each sport. Any student-athlete who qualifies will be named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll during the season in which he/she competes.
Thanks to their efforts in the classroom, three Golden Bears from the men's cross country team earned a spot on the Inaugural Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll. Ben Harper, who earned Pac-12 First Team honors last season, headlines the list with a 4.00 GPA. Sophomore Colin FitzGerald and sophomore Daniel Winek also received recognition for their academic excellence.
The women's cross country team received recognition for their academic success by landing 11 student-athletes on the Academic Honor Roll. Six of Cal's selections posted a 3.5 GPA or higher, headlined by Elizabeth Ordeman (3.86) and Claire Bernd (3.84). In addition, the Golden Bear women were presented with the Annual Newmark Award for sporting the highest cumulative GPA among women's small teams earlier this fall.
The upwards trajectory of the football team both on the field and in the classroom continued with 18 student-athletes named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll. That number was seven more than earned the distinction in 2018 and corresponds with the team winning the Newmark Award for most improved team GPA amongst Cal teams during the 2018-19 season. The football squad also had a record-high APR of 979 in the data released last spring as Justin Wilcox has emphasized the team's work in the classroom and on the field. Steven Coutts (3.80) had the highest GPA on the team, but was followed closely by Robby Rowell (3.78), Greg Thomas (3.74) and Matthew Cindric (3.72).
Men's soccer had another strong showing in the classroom, with five Bears, including Simon Lekressner, named to the Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll. Lekressner, a senior defender, added yet another accolade to his tally, which includes the 2019 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor for his sport.
Women's soccer continues its tradition of academic success, with 16 of the 30 student-athletes on the 2019 roster landing a spot on the Academic Honor Roll. An additional eight Bears earned CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District recognition earlier this fall, headlined by junior captain Emily Smith, who was named a Scholar All-American by the United Soccer Coaches association.
Volleyball is well-represented on the Academic Honor Roll with eight student-athletes earning recognition, including juniors Mima Mirkovic and Isabel Potter, who received CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District honors. Mirkovic was also named to the All-Pac-12 team and represented California on the AVCA Pacific North All-Region First Team.
The Fall Academic Honor Roll includes student-athletes who participated in the conference-sponsored sports of men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball.
Men's Cross Country
Colin FitzGerald, So.,Undeclared
Ben Harper, R-Jr., Music
Daniel Winek, So., Mechanical Engineering
Women's Cross Country
Mina Anglero, R-So., Sociology
Ariane Arndt, R-Jr., Integrative Biology
Claire Bernd, R-Fr., Sustainable Environmental Design
Annie Boos, Jr., Political Science
McKenna Brown, Undeclared
Jordyn Colter, R-Sr., Public Health
Brenley Goertzen, R-Sr., Media Studies
Chloe Hansel, R-Jr., Global Studies
Jessica Nye, So., Undeclared
Brie Oakley, R-So., Conservation & Resource Studies
Elizabeth Ordeman, Jr., Genetics & Plant Biology
Football
Zach Angelillo, RFr., American Studies
Parker Bosche, RFr., Undeclared
Christopher Brown Jr., So., Undeclared
Matthew Cindric, RFr., Undeclared
Steven Coutts, Gr., Masters of Public Health
Jake Curhan, RJr., American Studies - City & Regional Planning
Nick Henderson, RFr., Undeclared
Matt Horwitz, RSo., Business Administration
Ryan Regan, RFr., Undeclared
Robby Rowell, RFr., Undeclared
Michael Saffell, Jr., Business Administration
Gabe Siemieniec, RJr., Legal Studies
Evan Tattersall, RFr., Undeclared
JH Tevis, RFr., Undeclared
Greg Thomas, RSr., Urban Studies
Tommy Vanis, RFr., Undeclared
Sam Walker, RFr., Undeclared
Monroe Young, RFr., Undeclared
Men's Soccer
Lucas Churchill, RSo., Political Economy
Kaleo Fernandez, RSo., Philosophy
Chris Gustini, RSo., Environmental Economics & Policy
Simon Lekressner, Sr., Economics
Noah Texter, Sr., History
Women's Soccer
Maggie Bell, Sr., Political Science
Daisy Cleverley, Jr., Environmental Economics & Policy
Sydney Collins, So., Undeclared
Whitney Davis, Jr., Environmental Economics & Policy
Jordyn Elliott, Sr., Business Administration
Kayla Fong, Sr., Business Administration
Kailee Gifford, RSo., English
Kai Henderson, Jr., Media Studies
Avery Lakeman, Sr., Sustainable Environmental Design
Paige Metayer, So., Undeclared
Morgan Rogers, Jr., Business Administration
Olivia Sekany, RSo., Legal Studies
Emily Smith, Jr., Applied Mathematics
Emma Treasure, So., Undeclared
Emma Westin, Jr., Business Administration
Amanda Zodikoff, So., Undeclared
Volleyball
Gabby Bellizzi, So., Undeclared
Bella Bergmark, So., Undeclared
Jade Blevins, So., Undeclared
Jessica Houghton, So., Cognitive Science
Makana Meyer, So., Undeclared
Mima Mirkovic, Jr., Business Administration
Isabel Potter, Jr., Business Administration
Morgan Wright, Sr., Society and Environment
