West Virginia Shines with 63 Honorees on 2025 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team
In a season where grit and grind usually dominate the headlines, West Virginia University is getting well-deserved recognition for something that doesn’t show up in the box score: academic excellence.
The Big 12 Conference announced its 2025 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Teams on Thursday, and 63 Mountaineers earned a spot on the list - a testament to the balance these student-athletes strike between competition and the classroom. Among them, 11 student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 GPA during the fall semester. That’s not just impressive - that’s elite performance on and off the field.
The Breakdown: Who Made the Cut?
The Academic All-Big 12 Team honors student-athletes competing in fall sports: football, women’s soccer, volleyball, and cross country. To qualify, athletes must hold a GPA of 3.20 or higher - either cumulative or over the past two semesters - and must have participated in at least 20% of their team’s competitions. Freshmen aren’t eligible, but transfers in their first academic year are, and seniors with at least two years in the program can qualify even if they fall short on participation due to injury or other factors.
Across the Big 12, Kansas led all schools with 92 honorees, including a conference-best 51 from its football program. BYU and Oklahoma State tied for the most men’s cross country selections with 13 apiece, while the Cowgirls added 17 on the women’s side. Baylor’s soccer team led the way in its sport with 18 selections, while Arizona State paced the volleyball field with 13.
But WVU’s 63 selections are nothing to overlook. This group represents a wide range of majors - from biomedical engineering to sport management - and a broad spectrum of athletic contributions. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout Mountaineers who earned this recognition.
Cross Country: Running the Academic Race, Too
West Virginia’s women’s cross country team continues to be a model of consistency - not just on the trails, but in the classroom. Nine runners made the Academic All-Big 12 list, including three with perfect 4.0 GPAs: Mary Delaney (Journalism), Audrey Hall (Biomedical Engineering), and Jennifer O'Palko (Electrical Engineering). That’s a trio blending endurance and excellence in very different academic lanes.
Redshirt senior Tatiana Moura, who’s working toward a master’s degree in Nutritional & Food Science, is another name that jumps off the page. She’s balancing graduate-level coursework with the demands of a Division I running program - no small feat.
Football: Brains Behind the Brawn
Football saw the largest WVU representation, with 34 players earning Academic All-Big 12 honors. That includes veterans like Jaylen Henderson, Carson Lee, and Oliver Straw - all working toward master’s degrees in business or sport management - and younger names like Israel Boyce and Nick Taylor, who are laying a solid academic foundation early in their college careers.
Five football players earned perfect 4.0 GPAs, including Jaden Bray (Master’s in Executive Sport Management) and Oliver Straw (Master’s in Business Administration). These are guys who are not only putting in the hours in the film room but also acing their graduate-level coursework.
It’s worth noting the diversity of majors among the football honorees. From Computer Science (Xavier Bausley) to Animal & Nutritional Sciences (Nathaniel Flower) to Environment, Energy & Land Management (Curtis Jones), these players are preparing for life after football - and doing it at a high level.
Women’s Soccer: Precision on the Pitch and in the Classroom
West Virginia’s women’s soccer program added 17 names to the Academic All-Big 12 list, with five players earning 4.0 GPAs: Emily Akpebu (Finance), Gianna Koss (General Business), Madeline Levy (Finance), Roxanne Vilain (Master’s in Sport Management), and Sydney Ritter (Economics).
This group reflects a strong mix of underclassmen and veteran leadership, and the academic majors show a focus on business, finance, and sport management - areas that align well with the discipline and strategy they bring to the pitch.
Volleyball: Elevating on All Fronts
The Mountaineer volleyball squad contributed eight honorees to the Academic All-Big 12 Team, including standout seniors like Chalina Lederer and Madelin McGath, both majoring in Marketing. Maggie Elliott and Tally Grissom each earned a 4.0 GPA, showing that precision and focus carry over from the court to the classroom.
With majors ranging from Health & Well-Being to Integrated Studies, this group reflects the same versatility they bring to the net.
Beyond the All-Academic Team
In addition to the Academic All-Big 12 honors, 5,110 student-athletes across the conference were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll - a broader recognition for those earning a 3.0 GPA or higher across all sports. That includes both Big 12-sponsored and non-sponsored sports, and overall, 70% of Big 12 athletes made the cut.
The Bigger Picture
These honors aren’t just about GPA - they’re about commitment. The hours in the weight room, the travel, the early morning practices - all of that happens alongside lectures, exams, and group projects. These 63 Mountaineers are showing that academic and athletic excellence aren’t mutually exclusive - they’re part of the same mindset.
In a conference known for its competitive fire, West Virginia’s showing on the 2025 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team is a reminder that true success isn’t measured only in wins and losses. Sometimes, it’s about the quiet grind - the late-night study sessions after a road trip, the discipline to stay on top of your coursework during a playoff push.
For these student-athletes, the scoreboard reads GPA - and they’re winning big.