Tulsa Native Tyler Lockett Named Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett has been named Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. To qualify for this award, the player must be a junior or a senior, have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher, be involved in at least 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests, and have spent at least one year in residence at the program.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year is named in each conference's sponsored sports. Every Big 12 program picks one individual from each sport, and then the winners are chosen by votes from the league's head coaches.

Lockett is an Academic All-Big 12 and Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll scholar. He is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Through the committee he has visited retirement centers, participated in Cats in the Classroom (where he read to students and helped teachers with various classroom activities), and volunteered for Adopt-A-Family during the holiday season.

Lockett stated, "I am truly blessed! I thank God for everything that he has done for me! It is truly an honor to represent the Big 12 for Scholar Athlete of the Year! I also would like to thank my family, coaches, the university, and administration for allowing me the privilege to better myself in not only athletics, but in academics as well."

He is scheduled to graduate Saturday, with a 3.24 cumulative GPA and a degree in business management. He was also named Special Teams Player of the Year by the Big 12 in 2013 and 2014. Lockett ended his career at Kansas State setting records in career completed receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and 100-yard receiving games. Lockett said he plans on going to the NFL after Kansas State.

The 5'11, 175 pound wide receiver will go down in Kansas State's books as one of the best wide receivers in the school's history, due to his on-field performances.

The team will take on UCLA in its 18th bowl of the program's history on January 2, 2015, in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Kickoff is set for 5:45 p.m. The game will be aired nationally on ESPN.