Rickert named to 2003 Verizon team

School-record setting high jumper Gina Rickert has been named to a national team honoring athletic achievements by college track and field athletes.

Rickert, who completed her career in early June after winning four Big 12 titles and earning All-American honors five times in the high jump, was named to the 2003 CoSIDA Verizon Academic All-American Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field first team.

Rickert recently received her MBA, graduating with the top grade point average in the program. As an undergraduate in the College of Business, she graduated in the top two percent of her class. She was named to the dean’s list each semester as an undergraduate.

Rickert set a school record and qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials with her jump of 6—3 1/2 at the indoor Iowa State Classic Feb. 15.

— Lucas Grundmeier

Fennelly will coach U.S. in S. Korea

ISU head women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly will coach a team of Big 12 Conference women’s basketball players in August at the World University Games in South Korea.

The roster of Big 12 players for the tournament is still being determined. The roster can be composed of athletes who have been enrolled in college in the last year, making several ISU players who have completed their college eligibility able to play in the tournament.

Missouri head women’s basketball coach Cindy Stein and ISU assistant Latoja Harris make up the rest of Fennelly’s staff.

The United States has won five of the 13 World University Games women’s basketball competitions.

This will be the third women’s all-star team from the Big 12 Conference. Former ISU guard Megan Taylor played on a team that went 5—0 in Europe in 2001.

Fennelly has coached eight seasons at Iowa State, compiling a 174—75 record and gaining six NCAA Tournament berths.

The tournament will take place Aug. 20—31 in Daegu, South Korea.

— Lucas Grundmeier