Todd Reesing highlighted the list of 15 Kansas football players named Academic All-Big 12 by the league office Tuesday. The list includes nine players selected to the first team, including five repeat honorees as KU produced at least seven players named to the first team for the fourth straight year.
Student-athletes must post a 3.0 grade-point average, either cumulative or in the previous two semesters, and be regulars on the team to earn the league honors. First-team honorees must have at least a 3.2 grade-point average.
Reesing, a senior quarterback, was named to the first team for the third time, becoming the ninth Jayhawk in history to earn first-team academic all-conference honors three times.
Other KU first-team selections include two-time first-team honorees Jacob Branstetter, Drew Dudley, Justin Springer and Jeff Wheeler, who was a second-team selection in 2008 after earning first-team accolades in 2007.
Tim Biere, Trevor Marrongelli, Olaitan Oguntodu and Brad Thorson were named first team for the first time.
Second-team honorees include Greg Brown, Sal Capra, Kerry Meier, Daymond Patterson, Jake Schermer and Jake Sharp.
Sharp was recognized for the third time as he was a first-team honoree in 2007 and a two-time second-team selection. Meier was a second-team selection in 2007 and again this year. Schermer has been a second-team honoree in each of the last two years.
Reesing joined previous three-time honorees from Kansas including Ron Oelschlager, Ken Saathoff, Jim Moore, Greg Erb, Jake Letourneau, Kevin Kane, Russell Brorsen and John Larson.
Reesing and Dudley both earned Academic all-district honors earlier this season and are eligible for Academic All-America honors.
2009 Kansas Academic All-Big 12 Football Honorees
First Team
Tim Biere, TE, So., Pre-Business
Jacob Branstetter, PK, Jr., Management and Leadership
Drew Dudley, LB, Jr., Civil Engineering
Trevor Marrongelli, OL, Fr., Economics
Olaitan Oguntodu, S, Jr., Marketing
Todd Reesing, QB, Sr., Finance and Economics
Justin Springer, LB, Jr., Sport Management
Brad Thorson, OL, Jr., Economics, Masters
Jeff Wheeler, DE, Sr., Civil Engineering
Second Team
Greg Brown, DB, Fr., Pre-Business
Sal Capra, OL, Jr., Finance
Kerry Meier, WR, Sr., Sport Management
Daymond Patterson, CB, So., Pre-Sport Management
Jake Schermer, LB, Sr., Marketing
Jake Sharp, RB, Sr., Sport Management