Academic Services for Student-Athletes provides academic, personal, and career support programs that foster the total development of student-athletes. Located in The Joe & Connie Mitchell Academic Enhancement Center, ASSA delivers a comprehensive program on life skills that provides student-athletes with excellent educational experiences. ASSA provides service programs to prepare student-athletes for the demands of a well-balanced lifestyle. ASSA offers the guidance and direction needed to prepare student-athletes for success beyond graduation.

Academic support at OSU begins with a multifaceted program that involves subject tutors, facilitators, learning groups, computer programs, and academic enhancement contracts. The Joe & Connie Mitchell Academic Enhancement Center for student-athletes is a comprehensive learning center that includes a Reading & Writing Center, Math Center, Foreign Language Center, and Assistive Technology Center.

Recent Highlights

- Oklahoma State had eight players named to the 2013 Academic Al-Big 12 Conference Baseball Team, including a league-high seven first-team performers. Named to the first team for OSU were seniors Victor Romero and Trey Whaley, juniors Aaron Cornell and Mark Robinette, and sophomores Gage Green, Jason Hursh, and Jon Perrin. Senior Robbie Rea was named to the second team.

-Oklahoma State women’s tennis senior Malika Rose has received the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award for the Central region. The ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding individuals in all divisions at the regional and national level. This award, which dates back to 1982, goes to NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO men's and women's players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular, and tennis achievements.

- Four members of the Oklahoma State softball team were named to the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 team. Senior outfielder/designated player Samantha Chrisman, senior pitcher Kat Espinosa, junior pitcher Simone Freeman and sophomore shortstop Gessenia DeLaCruz were all named to the first team. Oklahoma State has had at least three players named Academic all-conference in each of the last five years and 22 of the last 26 seasons, dating back to the Big Eight Conference. Since the Big 12 formed in 1996, 47 different Cowgirls have been named Academic All-Big 12 a combined 65 times.

- Thirty members of OSU’s men’s and women’s track and field teams were named to the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Track and Field teams. OSU had the most men selected, with 17. The 30 total athletes selected ranked second in the conference. Brooke Gritters, Clara Telford, Caitlin Way and Kendra Woodson all qualified on the women’s side with a perfect 4.0 GPA. No other Big 12 women’s team had more than two do so. First team recipients for the men’s team included: Raul Botezan, Taylor Buck, Fabian Clarkson, Kevin Colon, Thomas Farrell, Brian Gohlke, Shadrack Kipchirchir, Nick Miller, David Osborn, Klaus Schmidt, Neal Smith, Zach Wills, and Austin Wright. Joining Gritters, Telford, Way, and Woodson on the women’s first team were Mihaela Bobos, Jackie Campos, Victoria Fratczak, Bailey Johnson, Kate Kujawa, Gloria Moseley, Natalja Piliusina, and Taylor Stolt. Second team recipients on the men’s side included Tommy Casey, Kirubel Erassa, Cody Kenny, and Taylor Monaghan, and Madison Allen was a second team recipient on the women’s side.

- Three members of OSU’s men’s tennis team were named to the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Men’s Tennis Team. Trevor Horstmann and Chris Haworth were named to the first team, while Rifat Biktyakov was named to the second team. Horstmann earned a perfect 4.0 GPA for the second consecutive year, and was one of only two Big 12 members to achieve the award.

- OSU women’s tennis senior C.C. Sardinha has been named to the 2013 first team Academic All-Big 12 tennis team, her second time to receive the honor. To qualify for the first team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.20 GPA or higher and have competed in 60% or more of their team’s scheduled contests.

– Oklahoma State quarterback Clint Chelf and OSU track and field/cross country standout Natalja Piliusina were named the OSU male and female Student-Athletes of the Year at the annual Athletic Awards Banquet on April 8^th, 2013. To qualify for the award, a student-athlete was required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have completed more than 100 academic credit hours. “This is the time of the year when we honor our students for their achievements in the classroom,” said Dr. Marilyn Middlebrook, associate athletic director of academic affairs. “In their sports, our athletes have championships and honors they receive. This is their academic championship.”

- Chelf and Piliusina highlighted an accomplished year for OSU student athletes. The 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Teams were full of Cowboys and Cowgirls. Of the academic All-Big 12 teams that have been announced as of April 8^th, 2013, OSU has had 107 student-athletes named to those teams, and the Coaches Association recognized eight OSU athletic teams as All-Academic Teams.

- Three Oklahoma State senior student-athletes were named 2012-13 Seniors of Significance. In all, 40 seniors were chosen for this award by the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association. The athletes chosen were Mandi Neujahr (equestrian), Chelsea Garcia (softball) and Meg Sokolosky (women’s tennis). Garcia is also one of 15 graduating seniors to receive the Outstanding Senior Award. The Alumni Association awards seniors who “distinguish themselves through academic achievement; campus and community activities; academic, athletic, or extracurricular honors or awards; scholarships and work ethic during their time at OSU.”

- OSU had 22 student-athletes named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars for 2013, with Devin Hedgepeth leading the way, qualifying as a First-Team Finalist. There have now been 148 Cowboy and Cowgirl student-athletes to receive this award.

- In 2012, Adriana Franch became the third Cowgirl Soccer player to be named a finalist for the NCAA Senior CLASS Award. The award is for student-athletes who have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: Community, Classroom, Character and Completion.

- Five OSU seniors won the Gerald Lage Award, which is for Big 12 student-athletes who maintained a GPA of 3.80 or higher, while having completed at least 100 credit hours. The recipients are Trevor Horstmann (men’s tennis), Caitlin Way (women’s track and field), Kendra Woodson (women’s track and field), Caitlin Harris (equestrian) and Haydan Vosburgh (equestrian).

- OSU student-athletes also made appearances all over the school and conference honor rolls. For Fall 2012, 40 OSU student-athletes earned President’s Honor Roll, 91 earned Dean’s Honor Roll, and 268 earned Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

- Other Academic Awards Received at the banquet:

* 2013 Nate Fleming Academic Effort & Improvement Award: Samantha Elser (equestrian) and Chris Perry (wrestling)

*National Consortium for Academics & Sport Scholar-Baller Academic Momentum Award: Jeremy Smith (football)

*2012 All-Academic Teams: USTFCCCA Women’s All-Academic Cross Country Team Award, USTFCCCA Women’s All-Academic Track Team Award, USTFCCCA Men’s All-Academic Cross Country Team Award, USTFCCCA Men’s All-Academic Track Team Award, NSCAA Collegiate Team Academic Award, NFCA Team Academic Award, ITA Academic All-American Team Award, NWCA Team Academic Award