Lofthouse, Hawkeyes Earn NWCA Academic Honor

May 23, 2011

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Luke Lofthouse and the University of Iowa wrestling program have received academic honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). The Hawkeyes were named among the NWCA’s Division I All-Academic Top 30 teams, while Lofthouse earned a spot on the 2011 NWCA Individual All-Academic Team.

The Individual All-Academic Team is determined by GPA and season record/accomplishment. Lofthouse is one of 28 All-Americans and 84 NCAA qualifiers named to the national team.

Lofthouse is an interdepartmental studies major from Avon, Utah. He completed his senior season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and posted a 25-7 record en route to a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships. A 2011 Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Lofthouse was awarded the John and Dorothy Sill Award for most dedicated wrestler at this year’s wrestling team banquet. This is Lofthouse’s first NWCA academic award. He is the 14th Hawkeye in program history to receive the honor.

For teams to be eligible for consideration, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student-athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.

Iowa ranked No. 23 on the NWCA’s All-Academic Top 30 list. The Hawkeyes finished the 2010-11 season with a record 10 Academic all-Big Ten honorees, five All-Americans and two Big Ten Champions. Iowa earned its fourth straight Big Ten regular season title with a perfect 8-0 conference record and extended its unbeaten dual winning streak to 77 by posting a 15-0-1 overall dual mark. The Hawkeyes’ perfect 8-0 home record marked the program’s 19th undefeated season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.