May 19, 2000

LARAMIE, Wyo. -

Three University of Wyoming wrestlers have been named Honorable Mention Academic All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

Brandon Dansie and Corey Hamrick were named to the Second Team, while Jeremy Sell was named to the Honorable Mention team. The teams are selected by the NWCA. There are 11 wrestlers on the First Team, 11 on the Second Team and 34 Honorable Mention selections. The awards were presented to individuals who displayed the ability to perform in the classroom as well as on the mat.

Dansie, a senior from Salt Lake City, Utah, was a starter for the Cowboys at 174 pounds during the 1999-2000 season. He compiled a record of 17-15 with six pins. At the 2000 West Regional Dansie placed second in his weight class with a record of 2-1. This is the third NWCA honor for Dansie. In 1998 Dansie was named to the NWCA Second Team and in 1999 he was an Honorable Mention selection. Dansie is also a former Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Scholar-Athlete. Majoring in economics, Dansie has a grade-point-average of 3.763.

Hamrick was an NCAA Championships qualifier for Wyoming this past season. A native of Wheatland, Wyo., Hamrick posted an overall record of 24-13 in his senior season and was nationally ranked in the 133-pound weight class much of the year. In dual action Hamrick was 13-3, proving to be a major weapon for the Pokes. Corey was a four-year starter for Wyoming and notched a second-place finish in the WAC in 1997. Working on his Master's degree in education, Hamrick has a grade-point-average of 3.667. Hamrick was also a Second Team selection in 1998, along with being a former WAC Scholar-Athlete.

Sell wrapped up his collegiate career with an overall record of 24-11 this past season. Sell moved down a weight class to 165 pounds and was a force for Wyoming, registering a team-high seven pins. Sell was in and out of the lineup during his time at UW, battling injuries throughout his career. In 1998 Sell placed second at the WAC Championships and placed fourth at the West Regional in 2000. This is the third time that Sell, who carries a grade-point-average of 3.298 in chemical engineering, has been an Honorable Mention selection by the NWCA.

"It's always very satisfying to see these guys who have excelled in both arenas get this kind of recognition," said Wyoming head coach Steven Suder. "It's this type of effort that is fun to point to and say, `That is what Wyoming athletics is all about.'"

Last year Dansie, Sell and former Cowboy Matt Winninger were all Honorable Mention selections.