Three former Cal Poly football standouts named to Big Sky all-academic team
Former Cal Poly football standouts Stephen Sippel, Weston Walker and Kaulin Blair were named to the Big Sky Conference all-academic team for the fall quarter, according to a news release from the school.
Sippel, who started the final 35 games of his career at center, was honored for the fourth straight season. The mechanical engineering major also was selected to the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association academic all-star team each of the last two years.
Walker, an Atascadero High alumnus, made the Big Sky all-academic team for the first time in his career. The construction management major never missed a game for the Mustangs, starting 32 of Cal Poly’s 35 games over the last three seasons.
A two-time all-conference performer on the field, Walker was named the Mustangs’ most valuable offensive lineman in 2014 and earned most valuable offensive player accolades this past season.
Blair overcame an early ankle injury to start the final eight games of the season at safety. The Danville native made 43 tackles and intercepted two passes for the Mustangs.
In order to qualify for the all-academic team, students must complete at least one academic term at Cal Poly and maintain a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average, while also playing in at least half of the team’s competitions.
This year’s all-academic squads featured 190 players from all 13 teams in the Big Sky.
Mustang wrestling set for final homestand
The Cal Poly wrestling team is scheduled to begin a four-match homestand this weekend when the Mustangs host Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. on Saturday inside Mott Athletics Center.
Cal Poly is coming off four consecutive losses, which dropped the team’s record to 1-7 in duals this season. During last weekend’s setbacks against Northern Colorado (22-19) and Wyoming (35-2), junior Colt Shorts won both of his matches in the 157-pound weight class.
Shorts defeated a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers on the way to improving his record to 7-1 in duals this year.
Following the match with Grand Canyon, the Mustangs will host three straight Pac-12 duals to close out the regular season. Cal Poly will take on Oregon State Feb. 5, then host Arizona State (Feb. 13) and Boise State (Feb. 14) the following weekend.
The Pac-12 championship meet will be held Feb. 27 at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Three former Cal Poly football standouts named to Big Sky all-academic team."