MILWAUKEE, Wis. (June 27, 2007) - Three members of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's track and field team have been named to the Academic All-Horizon League Team, the league office announced today.

Sophomores Jenni Saarinen, Holly Nearman and Beth Zimmerman were honored for both the athletic and academic performances. Saarinen and Nearman both earned the honor for indoor track, while Nearman was also an academic all-league honoree in cross country last fall.

The trio had a decorated outdoor campaign, helping the Panthers to their first Horizon League Outdoor Championship since 2003.

Saarinen had a standout sophomore season, winning three Horizon League titles at the league meet in May, while scoring in two other events. She successfully defended her long jump crown and added championships in the javelin and the heptathlon. Saarinen who also earned all-league second team honors as runner-up in the high jump, was then named outstanding field performer of the meet.

Academically, Finland native boasts a 3.777 grade point average as an elementary education major and has been named the league scholar-athlete of the week twice during the outdoor season. Earlier this month, Saarinen was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team.

Nearman was an All-Horizon League Second Team honoree in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events at the league championships in May by taking second in each event. Earlier in the year, she won the 5,000m at the prestigious Kansas Relays. She garnered league athlete and scholar-athlete of the week honors following the win. A journalism major, she is a junior academically has maintained a 3.651 GPA.

Zimmerman established herself as one of the top jumpers in school history during her sophomore campaign, breaking the school triple jump mark multiple times during both indoor and outdoor seasons. At the league championships, she earned all-league second team honors in both the triple and long jump events with runner up finishes. Zimmerman is a nursing major and has a 3.362 GPA.