May 11, 2005

DALLAS, Texas --- The No. 7 Baylor softball team placed seven student-athletes on the Academic All-Big 12 Conference squad the conference office announced Wednesday. Kylie Conroy, Tessa Lynam, Kelly Osburn, Harmony Schwethelm, Cristin Vitek and Kim Wilmoth earned first team honors while Chelsi Lake was named to the second team.

Vitek (Sr., Accounting) and Wilmoth (Sr., Accounting) each earned their third consecutive selection to the academic all-conference squad while Schwethelm (Jr., Health Science Studies) and Osburn (Jr., Health Science Studies) were named to the team for the second consecutive season.

Conroy (So., Biology), Lynam (Jr., Health Science Studies) and Lake (So., Political Science) each earned their first academic all-conference selections.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and media relations offices, the softball academic all-league squad consisted of 44 first team members combined with 15 on the second team. First team members include those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must record a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters. All players nominated must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled contests, while pitchers are required to have at least one inning pitched per game played by the team or have appeared in 35 percent of their team's total games. 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 also eligible.

Baylor will open play at the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday, May 12, at 11:00 a.m. when the fourth-seeded Lady Bears face fifth-seeded Missouri at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.