IRVING, Texas — A conference-leading 15 Nebraska football players were named first-team Academic All-Big 12, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon. Overall, 22 Huskers received either first- or second-team recognition by the Big 12.

Leading the way for Nebraska was senior fullback Dane Todd, who was one of two players honored for having a cumulative 4.0 grade-point average. Todd is a strong candidate to be named an Academic All-American for the second consecutive year later this month.

Todd is one of five Huskers who were named first-team Academic All-Big 12 for the third time in their careers. Also named to the first team for the third time were senior center Kurt Mann, senior free safety Brandon Rigoni, senior free safety Andrew Shanle and junior tight end J.B. Phillips. Making their second career appearance on the academic squad were junior linebacker Lance Brandenburgh and sophomore wide receiver Todd Peterson.

Players being named first-team Academic All-Big 12 for the first time were senior defensive end Adam Carriker, sophomore offensive guard Andy Christensen, sophomore place-kicker Jordan Congdon, senior linebacker Andy Kadavy, senior offensive tackle Newton Lingenfelter, sophomore safety Matt O’Hanlon, sophomore defensive end Zach Potter and sophomore punter Dan Titchener. Five members of the second team—senior cornerback Isaiah Fluellen, senior tight end Matt Herian, junior tight end Josh Mueller, junior offensive tackle Chris Patrick and senior quarterback Zac Taylor—also each earned their first career recognition.

First-Team (3.20 GPA or higher; * 4.0 GPA)
Name – Year - Major - Hometown
Lance Brandenburgh - Jr. - Business Administration – Overland Park, Kan.
Adam Carriker – Sr. – Business Administration – Kennewick, Wash.
Andy Christensen – So. – Construction Management – Bennington, Neb.
Jordan Congdon – So. – Undecided – San Diego, Calif.
Andy Kadavy – Sr. – Elementary Education – Seward, Neb.
Newton Lingenfelter – Sr. – Mechanized Systems Management – Plainview, Neb.
Kurt Mann – Sr. – Mechanized Systems Management – Grand Island, Neb.
Matt O’Hanlon – So. – Secondary Education-Social Science – Bellevue, Neb.
Todd Peterson – So. – Nutritional, Exercise and Health Science – Grand Island, Neb.
J.B. Phillips – Jr. – Marketing – Colleyville, Texas
Zach Potter – So. – Business Administration – Omaha, Neb.
Brandon Rigoni – Sr. – Psychology – Lincoln, Neb.
Andrew Shanle – Sr. – Family and Consumer Sciences Education – St. Edward, Neb.
Dan Titchener – So. – Marketing – Cheyenne, Wyo.
*Dane Todd – Sr. – Biological Sciences – Lincoln, Neb.

Second-Team (3.0 – 3.19 GPA)
Name – Year - Major - Hometown
Isaiah Fluellen – Sr. – German – Rammstein, Germany
Matt Herian – Sr. – History – Pierce, Neb.
Josh Mueller – Jr. – Business Administration – Columbus, Neb.
Chris Patrick – Jr. – Criminal Justice – Ithaca, Mich.
Clayton Sievers – So. – Communication Studies – Elkhorn, Neb.
Nate Swift – So. – Sociology – Hutchinson, Minn.
Zac Taylor – Sr. – Communication Studies – Norman, Okla.