Brett Neelly, Ranae McKenzie Named Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Jun 06, 2019 | Track & Field
MANHATTAN, Kan.– Kansas State Track and Field seniors Brett Neelly and Ranae McKenzie were named Big 12 Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year, as announced by the league office on Thursday, as the accolades continue for the two outstanding Wildcat seniors.
The award marks the second-consecutive Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for Neelly, after being named Big 12 Co-Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2018, becoming the first men's track and field athlete to win the award on several occasions. McKenzie earns her first Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, becoming the first female track and field athlete to bring home the honor.
Neelly, of Gallatin, Tennessee is majoring in mechanical engineering, where he holds a 3.723 grade-point average. Neelly is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree, and two-time member of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic team.
McKenzie, of Manchester, Jamaica, holds s 3.495 grade-point average while majoring in Nutrition and Kinesiology. McKenzie is also a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First team honoree, while being named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team in each of the last three years.
This season, Neelly re-wrote the K-State record books, breaking the men's shot put record both indoors and outdoors, while becoming the first Wildcat to ever break 20 meters in the event. Neelly earned Second Team All-American honors during the indoor season by placing 10thin the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships and will look to add more accolades at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this week in the men's discus.
For McKenzie, she is the back-to-back Big 12 Champion in the women's 400-meter hurdles, becoming the first Wildcat to win the Big 12 title in the event. McKenzie is also competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this week in Austin, Texas, as she looks to earn her fourth-career All-America honor.
McKenzie and Neelly are two of 11 spring Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year, including two of three from K-State. K-State Rowing senior Molly Ross also earned recognition as Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as voted on by each sport's respective head coaches.
The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Each Big 12 institution and affiliate members nominate one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team's scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
For the latest on K-State Rowing, follow @kstatesports and @KStateROW on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateROW or on the team's Facebook page.
The award marks the second-consecutive Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for Neelly, after being named Big 12 Co-Men's Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2018, becoming the first men's track and field athlete to win the award on several occasions. McKenzie earns her first Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, becoming the first female track and field athlete to bring home the honor.
Neelly, of Gallatin, Tennessee is majoring in mechanical engineering, where he holds a 3.723 grade-point average. Neelly is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree, and two-time member of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic team.
McKenzie, of Manchester, Jamaica, holds s 3.495 grade-point average while majoring in Nutrition and Kinesiology. McKenzie is also a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First team honoree, while being named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team in each of the last three years.
This season, Neelly re-wrote the K-State record books, breaking the men's shot put record both indoors and outdoors, while becoming the first Wildcat to ever break 20 meters in the event. Neelly earned Second Team All-American honors during the indoor season by placing 10thin the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships and will look to add more accolades at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this week in the men's discus.
For McKenzie, she is the back-to-back Big 12 Champion in the women's 400-meter hurdles, becoming the first Wildcat to win the Big 12 title in the event. McKenzie is also competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this week in Austin, Texas, as she looks to earn her fourth-career All-America honor.
McKenzie and Neelly are two of 11 spring Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year, including two of three from K-State. K-State Rowing senior Molly Ross also earned recognition as Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as voted on by each sport's respective head coaches.
The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Each Big 12 institution and affiliate members nominate one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team's scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
For the latest on K-State Rowing, follow @kstatesports and @KStateROW on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateROW or on the team's Facebook page.
Players Mentioned
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