The Big Sky Conference announced 23 Sacramento State athletes were honored on its 2010 fall All-Academic Team, the fewest in the conference, and down from last fall’s total of 27 athletes who achieved academic honors.

The athletes were honored for achieving at least a 3.2 grade point average while participating in at least half of the team’s competitions and completing at least one academic term at their current Big Sky institution.

Athletic Director Terry Wanless is happy with the achievement but acknowledges that there is work to be done.

“Right now 47 percent of our student-athletes have a 3.0 or better,” Wanless said. “You’re never satisfied. Unless we had all 4.0’s, I wouldn’t be satisfied.”

Five schools in the Big Sky Conference had at least 40 athletes on the list. Eastern Washington led the way with 50 athletes, Idaho State had 42, University of Montana had 41, Weber State had 40, Northern Arizona had 40, Portland State had 37 and Montana State had 31.

Wanless said Sac State has a tough education but it doesn’t have the academic reputation it deserves. Wanless believes earning a higher GPA at Eastern Washington is easier than at Sac State.

“I don’t want to criticize because the (athletic director) is a good friend of mine, but I’m going to tell you what, it’s easier to get a B at Eastern Washington than it is at Sac State,” Wanless said.

Wanless is pleased that the athletic department is exceeding the general student-body GPA.

“Forty-seven percent of our kids are getting a B-average or better and so we’re happy with that but our goals are just a little bit higher,” Wanless said.

Wanless wants to see the athletic department GPA at 3.0 or better, and 50 percent of student-athletes to earn a 3.0 or better.

Wanless cites Sac State’s high educational standards as the reason only has 23 student-athletes made the annual list.

“I think its reflection in a positive way about the quality of our educational process on the campus,” said Wanless, who has been the athletic director since May 2002. “Professors don’t give our kids free grades. They have to earn everything they get. You get a B here, you earned it.”

Of the 23 athletes who made the All-Academic Team, 11 athletes came from the football team, four from women’s soccer, three from volleyball, three from women’s cross country and two from men’s cross country.

Junior football player Stephen Tezanos-Pinto made the list with a 4.0 GPA while playing football and working part-time.

Tezanos-Pinto believes Sac State has the proper academic policies for its student-athletes, which includes mandatory study hall for those who struggle.

“I think Sac State gives you all the tools you need but they can’t force you to do anything,” Tezanos-Pinto said. “To me I feel like our (academic policies) are strict and they’re what they need to be. You got to use the tools you are given.”

Wanless is also pleased with the resources made available to student-athletes.

“Our job is to obviously push them and mentor them as far as we can, but at the end of the day, it’s their job,” Wanless said.

Student-athletes have an academic resource center that includes mentors, tutors and help with the selection of classes. The student-athletes also have priority registration.

“There’s very little reason not to succeed,” Wanless said.

In addition to Tezanos-Pinto; Peter Buck, Matt Carter, Jake Croxdale, Todd Davis, Reese Heaslet, Augie Heath, Maika Maumau, Brian McKeon, Corey Vanderbeek and Markell Williams from the football program made the list.

According the NCAA’s Growth, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Learning of Students in College (GOALS) study released in January, Division I FCS football players spend an average of 41.6 hours per week on their athletics, an increase from the 2006 study.

The survey also concluded that athletes are spending more time on athletics and academics than they did four years ago, with Division I football players spending nearly 80 hours per week on both during the season.

Despite the time spent on the field and watching film, Wanless said Sac State’s football program has never had a higher GPA. The football team had a 2.9 GPA and 42 players earned at least 3.0.

Wanless said most sports do not have a study hall requirement because they have success in the classroom. However, first-year football players and those with a GPA of 2.6 or below are required to go to study hall four nights a week.

“It’s hard being an athlete in some cases because the travel and the missed time, you’re always catching up,” Wanless said.

Other student-athletes who made the list include volleyball’s Janelle Currey, Erin Kirby and Olivia Moss. Men’s cross country featured Daniel Mitchell and Ben Rinn, while women’s cross country included Erin Lewis, Rachel Mitchell and Lea Wallace.

Women’s soccer players who made the list were Jessica Castano, Shea Roberts, Jami Shimada, Gabriella Trenton.

Although Wanless likes to see academic success, he wants student-athletes to get more from their education.

“I don’t want you to just get a degree,” Wanless said. “I want you to be educated.”

You can reach Dave Mason at [email protected]