The Big Ten Conference announced today that Gopher forward Jamal Abu-Shamala has been named to the Big Ten Academic Team. The last Gophers to earn Academic All-Big Ten honors were guards Adam Boone and Ryan Saunders following the 2005-06 season.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, student-athletes must be letter winners in at least their second academic year at their institution and carry a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.

Abu-Shamala, a junior from Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee HS), averaged 3.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 13.2 minutes per game this season for the Gophers. He is tied for fourth all-time in career three-point percentage at .419 (93-222) and is seven trey’s shy of the Gophers career top-10 in three-point field goals made.

The Gophers wrapped up the regular season with a loss to the University of Maryland on Mar. 18 in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament. This was the first post-season appearance for the Gophers since making the 2006 NIT Tournament.

The Gophers finished 20-14 on the season, an 11-game change in the win column from the 2006-07 season which is the largest season turnaround in school history and is tied for the second-best turnaround in Division I this season. Also, with eight wins in conference play, the Gophers tied Purdue for the biggest conference turnaround.