FARMINGTON, Utah – Winter sports took center stage Tuesday as the Big Sky Conference continued its three-day reveal of its Academic All-Conference teams for the 2020-21 school year. A day after the Vikings saw 98 fall-sport student-athletes honored, 60 winter-sport student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Sky honors.
Out of those 60 athletes, five came from the Portland State men's basketball team, 12 from women's basketball, 22 from men's indoor track & field, and 21 from women's indoor track & field.
The Big Sky Conference altered its criteria for Academic All-Conference honors this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No playing time requirement was enforced this year, with student-athletes instead qualifying by meeting or exceeding the following requirements: 1) Be on an active roster for their institution; 2) Achieve a 3.2 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year; 3) Complete at least one academic term at their current Big Sky institution.
The Academic All-Big Sky awards provide a tangible reward for the Vikings, who put together a strong academic year despite multiple challenges resulting from the pandemic. All 13 Viking teams finished with a GPA above 3.0 in 2020-21, with seven of the 13 teams finishing with above a 3.6. Women's basketball (3.672 GPA) and women's track & field (3.738 GPA) were two of those seven teams and saw their athletes honored Tuesday.
Additionally, the President's and Dean's Lists were released last week, with 16 winter student-athletes making the President's List and 10 making the Dean's List. Out of those, men's track & field put seven student-athletes (3 President's List, 4 Dean's List) on the lists, while women's track & field (10 President's List, 5 Dean's List) and women's basketball (3 President's List, 1 Dean's List) put 15 and four student-athletes on the lists, respectively.
Criteria for making the President's List is a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and a term GPA of 4.0 while taking at least 12 credits. Criteria for the Dean's List is a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and a term GPA of 3.75 to 3.99 while taking at least 12 credits.
The Big Sky will complete its Academic All-Conference teams with the release of its spring honorees Wednesday.
Full list of Portland State's winter Academic All-Big Sky honorees:
