The Big Ten Conference announced on Mar. 18 that 1,127 student-athletes have been named to the Winter Academic All-Big Ten Team, including 31 students from the University of Maryland.
This recognition highlights academic achievement among student-athletes participating in winter sports across the conference. To qualify for the Academic All-Big Ten selection, students must be members of a varsity team as verified by their official squad list as of March 1, have completed at least one year of full-time enrollment at their institution, and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.
Maryland’s honorees represent several sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling. Among those recognized are Lukas Sotell (men’s basketball), Yarden Garzon and Mir McLean (women’s basketball), Lauren Brendlinger and Madeline Komoroski (gymnastics), and John Martin Best and Jaxon Smith (wrestling). The list includes undergraduate and graduate students majoring in fields such as economics, management, kinesiology, mechanical engineering, international relations, sociology, architecture, information science, biology, finance, physiology and neurobiology.
The announcement underscores the balance these student-athletes maintain between rigorous academic schedules and athletic commitments. The Big Ten Conference continues to emphasize both educational success and athletic performance through initiatives like the Academic All-Big Ten Team.
Looking ahead, this recognition may encourage continued academic excellence among student-athletes at Maryland and throughout the conference.