Oklahoma State University Athletics
2021 Academic All-Big 12 Football Team Includes 36 Cowboys
November 18, 2021 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – The 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Football Team was announced Thursday, as 28 Oklahoma State players earned first-team selections and eight garnered second-team honors to combine for 36 total spots on the team.
The Cowboys' 28 selections to the first team ranked as the second-most in the Big 12 and their 36 total honors were the third-most in the conference.
Including this season, the seven highest totals for first-team Academic All-Big 12 selections in OSU football history have come in the past seven years, as OSU had 13 in 2015, 12 in 2016, 20 in 2017, 13 in 2018, 16 in 2019, 28 in 2020 and 28 again in 2021.
OSU's Logan Carter was one of 11 players in the league honored with a 4.00 grade point average, and he is now the first five-time academic all-conference team member in OSU history after taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the NCAA ruling surrounding COVID-19. Carter earned first-team honors all five seasons from 2017-21 and was a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist in both 2020 and 2021.
Several Cowboys received recognition for multiple times in their careers, highlighted by five-time selection Carter and Brock Martin, who became the 13th football player in OSU history to earn four academic all-conference honors and the 11th to earn four first-team honors.
Alex Hale, Matt Hembrough, Tanner McCalister and Hunter Woodard were named to the first team for a third-straight season, while Tom Hutton, Brady Pohl, Jake Schultz, Jake Springfield and Preston Wilson were named to the first team for a second-consecutive year. 2021 first team honorees Brendon Evers, Devin Harper, Joe Michalski and Malcolm Rodriguez also received their second-straight recognition after they were included on the second team in 2020.
On the 2021 second team, five Cowboys were multiple-time honorees, including Jarrick Bernard-Converse (first team in 2019 and 2020), Braden Cassity (first team in 2019 and 2020), Israel Antwine (first team in 2020), Kody Walterscheid (first team in 2020) and Hunter Anthony (second team in 2019).
OSU's first-time honorees this year include first-team selections Cale Cabbiness, Christian Holmes, Vance Hooper, Shane Illingworth, Jayden Jernigan, Ben Kopenski, Tyler Lacy, Adam Martin, Zach Middleton, Brennan Presley, Jordan Reagan, Jeff Roberson and Gabe Simpson, as well as second-team members Cole Birmingham, Mason Cobb and Josh Sills.
First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 20 percent of their 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 also eligible.
The complete list of Cowboys on the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 teams:
The Cowboys' 28 selections to the first team ranked as the second-most in the Big 12 and their 36 total honors were the third-most in the conference.
Including this season, the seven highest totals for first-team Academic All-Big 12 selections in OSU football history have come in the past seven years, as OSU had 13 in 2015, 12 in 2016, 20 in 2017, 13 in 2018, 16 in 2019, 28 in 2020 and 28 again in 2021.
OSU's Logan Carter was one of 11 players in the league honored with a 4.00 grade point average, and he is now the first five-time academic all-conference team member in OSU history after taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the NCAA ruling surrounding COVID-19. Carter earned first-team honors all five seasons from 2017-21 and was a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist in both 2020 and 2021.
Several Cowboys received recognition for multiple times in their careers, highlighted by five-time selection Carter and Brock Martin, who became the 13th football player in OSU history to earn four academic all-conference honors and the 11th to earn four first-team honors.
Alex Hale, Matt Hembrough, Tanner McCalister and Hunter Woodard were named to the first team for a third-straight season, while Tom Hutton, Brady Pohl, Jake Schultz, Jake Springfield and Preston Wilson were named to the first team for a second-consecutive year. 2021 first team honorees Brendon Evers, Devin Harper, Joe Michalski and Malcolm Rodriguez also received their second-straight recognition after they were included on the second team in 2020.
On the 2021 second team, five Cowboys were multiple-time honorees, including Jarrick Bernard-Converse (first team in 2019 and 2020), Braden Cassity (first team in 2019 and 2020), Israel Antwine (first team in 2020), Kody Walterscheid (first team in 2020) and Hunter Anthony (second team in 2019).
OSU's first-time honorees this year include first-team selections Cale Cabbiness, Christian Holmes, Vance Hooper, Shane Illingworth, Jayden Jernigan, Ben Kopenski, Tyler Lacy, Adam Martin, Zach Middleton, Brennan Presley, Jordan Reagan, Jeff Roberson and Gabe Simpson, as well as second-team members Cole Birmingham, Mason Cobb and Josh Sills.
First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 20 percent of their 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 also eligible.
The complete list of Cowboys on the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 teams:
| Cale Cabbiness | First Team |
| Logan Carter* | First Team |
| Brendon Evers | First Team |
| Alex Hale | First Team |
| Devin Harper | First Team |
| Matt Hembrough | First Team |
| Christian Holmes | First Team |
| Vance Hooper | First Team |
| Tom Hutton | First Team |
| Shane Illingworth | First Team |
| Jayden Jernigan | First Team |
| Ben Kopenski | First Team |
| Tyler Lacy | First Team |
| Adam Martin | First Team |
| Brock Martin | First Team |
| Tanner McCalister | First Team |
| Joe Michalski | First Team |
| Zach Middleton | First Team |
| Brady Pohl | First Team |
| Brennan Presley | First Team |
| Jordan Reagan | First Team |
| Jeff Roberson | First Team |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | First Team |
| Jake Schultz | First Team |
| Gabe Simpson | First Team |
| Jake Springfield | First Team |
| Preston Wilson | First Team |
| Hunter Woodard | First Team |
| Hunter Anthony | Second Team |
| Israel Antwine | Second Team |
| Jarrick Bernard-Converse | Second Team |
| Cole Birmingham | Second Team |
| Braden Cassity | Second Team |
| Mason Cobb | Second Team |
| Josh Sills | Second Team |
| Kody Walterscheid | Second Team |
Players Mentioned
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