HORNETS PLACE 21 ON BIG SKY ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM 2/17/2009 SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Led by 21 Big Sky Conference all-academic selections, Sacramento State student-athletes shined in the classroom during the fall semester. To earn all-academic honors from the Big Sky, a student-athlete must have achieved at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average at Sacramento State and have participated in at least half of the team’s competitions during the season. The conference recognized student-athletes from cross country, football, women’s soccer and volleyball. The volleyball team led the way with eight all-academic selections. The group included five players who had at least a 3.4 gpa and two that had at least a 3.8. Football and women’s soccer each had six recipients while cross country recorded one. Among those on the list were football’s Juan Gamboa and women’s soccer’s Sarah Howard and Kara Taylor who each earned the award for the fourth time. Overall, 197 Sacramento State student-athletes had at least a 3.0 gpa, including 63 with a 3.5 gpa or better and eight who had a perfect 4.0 gpa. A complete list of the Big Sky all-academic selections are listed below: Men’s Cross Country Scott Grose, Jr., Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Football Chris Alvarado, Sr., Business Administration Peter Buck, So., Kinesiology Jake Croxdale, Fr., Kinesiology Juan Gamboa, Sr., Communication Studies Clint Lessard, Jr., Business Administration Marquese Smith, Fr., Kinesiology Women’s Soccer Ashley Forbes, Jr., Communication Studies Sarah Howard, Sr., Communication Studies Kim Kemper, Jr., Liberal Studies Kara Taylor, Sr., Health Science Christina Trenton, Jr., Psychology Paige Tucker, Fr., Undeclared Volleyball Cayti Crowton, Fr., Business Administration Kelsey Elston, Fr., Family and Consumer Science Eryn Kirby, Fr., Undeclared Melissa Melcher, Jr., Sociology Breanne Menees, Fr., Civil Engineering Olivia Moss, Fr., Undeclared Maddison Thivierge, So., Kinesiology Katie Van Der Wende, Sr., Family and Consumer Science