IRVING, Texas — BYU had 23 football players named to the 2023 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Teams on Wednesday.
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.
BYU Football Academic All-Big 12 First Team (17)
Talan Alfrey, Exercise Science
Jacob Boren, Business Administration
Benjamin Bywater, Finance
Caleb Christensen, Communications
Michael Daley, Business
Talmage Gunther, Finance
Brayden Keim, Construction Management
Weylin Lapuaho, Family Life
Logan Lutui, Exercise Science
Blake Mangelson, Family Life
Bruce Mitchell, Business
Enoch Nawahine, Business
Connor Pay, Entrepreneurial Management
Ryan Rehkow, Finance
Austin Riggs, Communications
Chase Roberts,Business
Tanner Wall, Finance
BYU Football Academic All-Big 12 Second Team (6)
Kody Epps, Business
Caden Haws, Exercise Science
Atunaisa Mahe, Experience Design
Malik Moore, Family Life
Joshua Singh, Geography
Ethan Slade, Business
Overall, a total of 956 student-athletes from the league have been named to the 2023 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team, which recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at conference institutions who participate in fall sports. There were 798 Big 12 athletes honored on the First Team, with 112 of those posting 4.0 grade point averages. An additional 158 student-athletes earned distinction on the Second Team.
All of BYU's fall sports garnered 57 selections, including the 23 from football.
The Big 12 sports included for the fall season are men’s cross country (93), women’s cross country (130), football (421), soccer (182) and volleyball (98), plus the at-large sports of men’s soccer (25) and triathlon (7).
BYU football also had six players selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team in December, including kicker Will Ferrin, wide receiver Talmage Gunther, defensive lineman Blake Mangelson, offensive lineman Connor Pay, punter Ryan Rehkow and quarterback Kedon Slovis.
Overall, the football team had a team cumulative GPA of 3.06 in 2023.