Bismarck, ND - The University of Mary posted its best finish at the NCAA wrestling championships last weekend, but the Marauders work in the classroom proved even more impressive. U-Mary claimed the Academic National Championship after the Marauders recorded the country's highest team grade point average in the 19th annual Division II All-Academic Wrestling Team competition. Additionally, Brady Anderson headlines five U-Mary wrestlers named to the individual 2011-12 All-Academic Wrestling Team.
 
The Marauders team GPA of 3.334 earned U-Mary its first Academic National Championship. The team GPA is calculated by averaging the cumulative grade point averages of ten wrestlers from each team. Eight of the wrestlers must have competed at the NCAA Division II national qualifying tournament.

Last year the Marauders finished seventh in the nation in team GPA.
 
U-Mary finished 19th at the NCAA championships last weekend and two wrestlers earned All-American honors. It was the best NCAA performance ever for the Marauders.
 
A Division II All-Academic first team selection for the second straight year, Anderson is a junior from Hamilton, MT. The exercise science major has an overall GPA of 3.80. Twice a national championship qualifier, Anderson posted a record of 19-9 this season and is 57-34 overall in his career.
 
All-American Taylor Nagel and Collin Engelhardt are second team selections. Kriss McCleary and Martin Patron earned honorable mention recognition.
 
A senior from Victor, MT, Nagel finished fifth in the nation at 165 in his first trip to the national championships. For the second straight year the exercise science major was named to the All-Academic second team and owns a GPA of 3.13. Nagel ended the season 13-7 overall and finished his career 51-44.
 
A business major, Engelhardt possesses a 3.69 GPA. The junior from Bismarck, ND, was 16-10 this season and has a career mark of 32-28.
 
For the second straight year McCleary earned honorable mention honors. The junior physical education major from Napoleon, ND, has a 3.78 GPA. He was 5-7 on the mat this season and 10-29 in his career.
 
Patron has a 3.21 grade point average in math education. The senior from Fresno, CA, capped his career with a 17-12 record this season and finished 22-20 lifetime.
 
The Division II All-Academic Wrestling team is selected by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Individuals must hold at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, must be in at least his second full year at his school, be a varsity member or a key reserve, demonstrate a degree of skill and have a minimum of two letters of recommendation (academic advisor and coach) submitted on his behalf.
 
Rk           School                                                   Team GPA
1.            U-Mary                                                    3.334
2.            Truman State                                        3.308
3.            Augustana                                             3.287
4.            Indianapolis                                          3.286
5.            Gannon                                                  3.276
6.            Western State (Colo.)                          3.267
7.            Nebraska-Kearney                               3.257
8.            American International                        3.251
9.            Southwest Minnesota State               3.243
10.          Maryville                                                 3.239
 
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