April 23, 2013
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Release
TEMPE – Arizona State University wrestling senior Jake Meredith was named a First-Team Pac-12 All-Conference selection, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced on Tuesday.
Meredith graduated with a bachelor’s degree last spring while redshirting what would have been his senior season with a knee injury. He is currently working towards a master’s degree in global technology and development and has a GPA of 3.42. He has twice been named the ASU Student-Athlete of the Month in both October 2010 and November 2012.
The Pac-12 honored Meredith as the conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the Pac-12 Wrestling Championships, in addition to this selection as part of the All-Academic team.
Meredith’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor was the first in ASU history while his first First-Team selection today is the 21st Sun Devil First-Team selection since the conference first began recognizing All-Academic squads.
Meredith made the decision to return for another season after missing the 2011-12 campaign due to an injury. An NCAA Championship participant and Pac-12 Champion at 184 pounds during the 2010-11 season, Meredith moved up to 197 pounds as a senior and established himself as one of the elite grapplers at the weight class.
Meredith put together a career record of 74-50 and was 36-23 in dual competition. He finished his senior year with a 26-9 and was ranked in the nation’s top-10 at 197 pounds for the majority of the year and was the runner-up at the weight class at the Pac-12 Championships. Meredith advanced to his second NCAA Championship appearance as well.
ABOUT THE PAC-12 ACADEMIC AWARDS
To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be a significant contributor.
Established during the 2007-08 academic year, Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year selections must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50% of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award.
A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 22 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling.