Fifty-four Iowa student-athletes have been named to the 2011 Big Ten Winter Academic All-Conference team. The conference office recognized a total of 524 winter sports athletes in the Big Ten.

To be eligible for an Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

Iowa’s total included two student-athletes from men’s basketball, five from men’s gymnastics, eight from women’s basketball, nine each from women’s gymnastics and men’s swimming and diving, 10 from wrestling, and 11 from women’s swimming and diving.

The eight women’s basketball players and 10 wrestlers are the most honorees in school history. The five men’s gymnasts account for the most for the program since 2006-07.

Iowa’s Anna Flessner (women’s swimming and diving) was also recognized for maintaining 4.0 GPA. She is one of six in the conference to have such a GPA.

— by J.T. Bugos