March 4, 2004

WACO, Texas - Baylor's Steffanie Blackmon (Dallas, Texas/Rowlett HS) and Jessika Stratton (Colorado Springs, Colo.,/Coronado HS) were two of 41 student-athletes named to the 2004 Women's Basketball Academic All-Big 12 Team, the conference office announced Wednesday. Both student-athletes received first team honors for the second straight year.

Blackmon, a junior post, leads the Lady Bears in scoring at 15.6 points a game and hauls down 7.2 rebounds a game while Stratton, a senior guard, averages 9.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.76 assists a game.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the women's basketball academic all-league squad consists of 32 first-team members combined with nine student-athletes on the second team. First-team members are those student-athletes who have maintained a 3.20 or better grade point average, while the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are eligible.

2004 Women's Basketball Academic All-Big 12 team

First Team (3.20-plus grade point average; *indicates nominated with a 4.00 GPA)

Baylor
Jessika Stratton, Baylor
Steffanie Blackmon, Baylor

Colorado
Tera Bjorklund
Kate Fagan
Randie Wirt

Iowa State
Erica Junod
Lisa Kriener
Anne O'Neil
Tracy Paustian

Kansas
Leila Menguc
Crystal Kemp

Kansas State
Kimmery Newsom
Nicole Ohlde
Laurie Koehn
Megan Mahoney
Kendra Wecker

Missouri
Tracy Lozier
Evan Unrau
Megan Roney

Nebraska
Katie Morse
Jina Johansen

Oklahoma
Caton Hill
Lauren Shoush
Antoinette Wadsworth

Oklahoma State
Nicole Campbell
Lori Allen

Texas
Jamie Carey

Texas A&M
Mindy Garrison

Texas Tech
*Jolee Ayers-Curry
Casey Jackson
Chesley Dabbs
Erin Grant

Second Team (3.00 to 3.19 grade point average)

Colorado
Veronica Johns-Richardson

Iowa State
Brittany Wilkins

Kansas
Blair Waltz

Kansas State
Amy Dutmer
Chelsea Domenico
Brie Madden

Oklahoma
Laura Andrews
Erin Higgins

Texas
Heather Schreiber