GRAND FORKS, N.D.--For the second consecutive semester, the University of North Dakota has led the Great West Conference in academic all-conference selections. UND placed 59 student-athletes on the 2010 Great West Conference Spring/Winter All-Academic Team, announced today by the conference office.

UND's 59 selections were 15 more than the next-closest school, Utah Valley.

The spring all-academic team recognizes the sports of men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's basketball, women's golf, women's tennis, softball and baseball.

Among UND's 59 selections were 13 from women's indoor track, 10 from men's indoor track, 10 from women's outdoor track, nine from men's outdoor track, four from women's basketball, four from softball, four from baseball, two from women's golf, two from tennis and one from men's basketball.

Six of UND's 59 selections own perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point averages, accounting for nearly half of the GWC's 4.0 GPA's.

"Our student-athletes have had yet another amazing year in the classroom," said UND Director of Athletics Brian Faison. "To have that number (59) of selections on the all-academic team is truly phenomenal and something our student-athletes should take pride in."

In order to be named to the all-academic team, student-athletes must possess a cumulative 3.2 GPA and have competed in at least 50 percent of their team's contests. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.

Twenty-five percent of UND's approximately 450 student-athletes earned academic all-conference honors in 2009-10.

After placing a league-leading 32 student-athletes on the 2009 GWC Fall All-Academic Team, UND placed 91 student athletes on this year's GWC All-Academic teams. Additionally, UND placed 19 men's and women's hockey players on the All-WCHA Academic Team and one on the America Sky Academic All-Conference Men's Golf Team.

UND's selections to the 2010 Great West Conference Winter/Spring All-Academic Team: