IRVING, Texas — Eighteen members of the South Dakota State wrestling team, including all of the Jackrabbits’ NCAA qualifiers this past season, were honored Tuesday as members of the 2024 Winter Academic All-Big 12 Team.

SDSU’s 15 first-team honorees were highlighted by Clay Carlson earning recognition for the fifth time, while Cade DeVos and Bowen McConville were recognized for the fourth year in a row. Carlson and DeVos were 2024 NCAA qualifiers, along with fellow first-team selections Bennett Berge, Derrick Cardinal and Cael Swensen.

All three of the Jackrabbits’ second-team honorees — Tanner Jordan, Alek Martin, and Tanner Sloan — also competed at the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

First-team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 grade-point average or higher, while second-team selections hold a GPA between 3.0 and 3.19.

First Team

• Bennett Berge, So., Mantorville, Minnesota – Construction Management;
• Jaxon Bowes, R-Fr., Brookings – Construction Management;
• Derrick Cardinal, So., Forest Lake, Minnesota – Exercise Science;
• Clay Carlson, Sr., Willmar, Minnesota – Animal Science;
• Tanner Cook, Sr., Ilion, New York – Mass Communication;
• Cade DeVos, Sr., Altoona, Iowa – Pharmacy;
• Brock Fettig, R-Fr., Bismarck, North Dakota – Business Economics;
• Connor Gaynor, So., Mokena, Illinois – Exercise Science;
• Caleb Gross, Sr., Pound, Wiscsonin – Civil Engineering;
• Daniel Kimball, Sr., Buckingham, Iowa – Exercise Science;
• Bowen McConville, Sr., Renton, Washington – Business Economics/Criminology;
• Brandon Meredith, Sr., Limerick, Pennsylvania – Business Economics;
• Luke Rasmussen, R-Fr., Brookings – Aviation;
• Cael Swensen, So., Plymouth, Minnesota – Business Economics;
• Spencer Trenary, Sr., Rolfe, Iowa – Pharmacy.

Second Team

• Tanner Jordan, Sr., St. Paris, Ohio – Wildlife and Fisheries Science;
• Alek Martin, So., St. Paris, Ohio – Sport and Recreation Management;
• Tanner Sloan, Sr., Alburnett, Iowa – Agricultural Science.

To qualify for the team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher either cumulatively or during 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 for participation are also eligible.

Also on Tuesday, the following four Jackrabbit wrestlers were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team: Berge, Cardinal, DeVos and Swensen. The at-large squad is made up of student-athletes competing in fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, tennis, water polo and wrestling.

Student-athletes nominated for the CSC Academic All-District Team must carry at least a 3.50 grade-point average, be at least a sophomore in academic standing, and have competed in a minimum of 70 percent of the team’s scored events. Berge and DeVos have been selected to advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration in July.