Kansas State University Athletics
K-State Football Leads League with 45 on Academic All-Big 12 Teams
Feb 14, 2024 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State football led the Big 12 Conference with a school-record 45 of its student-athletes earning Academic All-Big 12 honors – including a program-best and league-high 38 first-team members – as the conference office announced the 421-member Academic All-Big 12 football teams on Wednesday.
The Wildcats' previous school record for total Academic All-Big 12 honors was 34 in each of the previous two seasons, while their best for first-team honors was 29 in 2022.
K-State now has a Big 12-leading 313 total citations since 2014, which is 37 more than the next closest program (Iowa State, 273).
The Wildcats had four student-athletes that were nominated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in Anthony Frias II (psychology), Sam Hecht (construction science and management), Austin Moore (gerontology minor) and Chris Tennant (finance).
Joining those four in earning first-team accolades were Cooper Beebe (social studies education), Drake Bequeaith (mechanical engineering), Jack Blumer (curriculum and instruction), Jet Dineen (open option), Jace Friesen (communication studies), Daniel Green (personal financial planning), Joe Hall III (pre-professional education studies), Will Howard (accounting), Damian Ilalio (athletic training and rehab sciences), Justice James (sociology), Isaac Koch (pre-professional business administration), Trey Krause (pre-professional business administration), Andrew Leingang (chemical engineering), KT Leveston (academic advising), Brayden Loftin (kinesiology), Matthew Maschmeier (professional strategic selling), Nate Matlack (personal financial planning), Christian Moore (sociology-criminology), Brendan Mott (business administration), Garrett Oakley (pre-professional business administration), Beau Palmer (marketing), Erik Pizarro (kinesiology), Randen Plattner (business administration), Seth Porter (communication studies), Desmond Purnell (athletic training and rehab sciences), Donovan Rieman (kinesiology), Kobe Savage (communication studies), Uso Seumalo (communication studies), Sam Shields (professional strategic selling), Ben Sinnott (marketing), Cody Stufflebean (industrial engineering), Titus Tuiasosopo (physical and health education), Zach Wittenberg (kinesiology) and Jordan Wright (communication studies).
K-State's second-team members included Christian Duffie (marketing), RJ Garcia II (communication studies), Hayden Gillum (business administration), Shane Porter (communication studies), Jordan Schippers (finance), Will Swanson (construction science and management) and La'James White (social sciences).
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 Wildcats' previous school record for total Academic All-Big 12 honors was 34 in each of the previous two seasons, while their best for first-team honors was 29 in 2022.
K-State now has a Big 12-leading 313 total citations since 2014, which is 37 more than the next closest program (Iowa State, 273).
The Wildcats had four student-athletes that were nominated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in Anthony Frias II (psychology), Sam Hecht (construction science and management), Austin Moore (gerontology minor) and Chris Tennant (finance).
Joining those four in earning first-team accolades were Cooper Beebe (social studies education), Drake Bequeaith (mechanical engineering), Jack Blumer (curriculum and instruction), Jet Dineen (open option), Jace Friesen (communication studies), Daniel Green (personal financial planning), Joe Hall III (pre-professional education studies), Will Howard (accounting), Damian Ilalio (athletic training and rehab sciences), Justice James (sociology), Isaac Koch (pre-professional business administration), Trey Krause (pre-professional business administration), Andrew Leingang (chemical engineering), KT Leveston (academic advising), Brayden Loftin (kinesiology), Matthew Maschmeier (professional strategic selling), Nate Matlack (personal financial planning), Christian Moore (sociology-criminology), Brendan Mott (business administration), Garrett Oakley (pre-professional business administration), Beau Palmer (marketing), Erik Pizarro (kinesiology), Randen Plattner (business administration), Seth Porter (communication studies), Desmond Purnell (athletic training and rehab sciences), Donovan Rieman (kinesiology), Kobe Savage (communication studies), Uso Seumalo (communication studies), Sam Shields (professional strategic selling), Ben Sinnott (marketing), Cody Stufflebean (industrial engineering), Titus Tuiasosopo (physical and health education), Zach Wittenberg (kinesiology) and Jordan Wright (communication studies).
K-State's second-team members included Christian Duffie (marketing), RJ Garcia II (communication studies), Hayden Gillum (business administration), Shane Porter (communication studies), Jordan Schippers (finance), Will Swanson (construction science and management) and La'James White (social sciences).
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.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
P
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
S
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DT
/ Football
WR
/ Football
S
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
TE
/ Football
S
/ Football
DE
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LS
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DT
/ Football
OL
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DE
/ Football
TE
/ Football
K
/ Football
DT
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
CB
/ FootballK-State Football | Pregame Hype vs KU
Friday, October 24
K-State FB | Pregame Hype vs KU
Friday, October 24
K-State Football | Joe Klanderman press conference - Oct. 23, 2025
Thursday, October 23
K-State Football | Matt Wells press conference - Oct. 23, 2025
Thursday, October 23