Academic All-America® Team
Selected by CoSIDA
CONTACT: Dan O’Connell, Towson University
Vice-Chair (Publicity/Communications), Academic All-America Committee
(410) 704-3102 doconnell@towson.edu
TOWSON, Md. - When the New York Yankees captured their 27th World Series championship on Wednesday night, Manager
Joe Girardi, a member of the of the College Sports Information Directors of America’s Academic All-America® Hall of Fame, was praised for leading the Yankees to their first world championship in nine years.
A 1986 graduate of Northwestern University, Girardi was inducted into the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame two years ago at the annual induction dinner in San Diego (July 2007).
He is one of 105 members of the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame.
The first former major league baseball player to be inducted into the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame, Girardi was a three-time Academic All-America® pick during his college career. A four-year performer for the Wildcats, he was named to the All-Conference team by the Big Ten three times. As a junior, he was named to the ABCA All-America third team.
A native of Peoria, Illinois, he graduated with a degree in industrial engineering. He was named to the Big Ten Conference's All-Academic team three times.
At the time of his induction to the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame, Girardi said, “This is probably my favorite award because it’s a tribute to my parents. My parents influenced me to do well academically and without them, I never would have understood the importance of academics.“It’s really their award,” he added. “By earning this honor, I am telling my parents ‘I took notice about what you taught me about education and applied it to my life. This is for a job well done.”Prior to becoming a major league manager, Girardi enjoyed a very productive 15-year career as a major league catcher. From 1989 to 2003, he played for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals. An outstanding defensive catcher, he appeared in 1,277 major league games and 39 post-season contests. He had 1,100 base hits in his career and batted .267.
Selected to the National League all-star team in 2000 as a member of the Cubs, Girardi was an important part of three Yankee teams which won world championships. He was the regular catcher for the Yankees in 1996, 1998 and 1999 when they won the World Series. In 1998, he batted .276 for the Yankees, who set a major league record with 114 victories and swept San Diego in the World Series.
A fifth round draft pick by the Cubs in 1986, he played for the Cubs from 1989 to 1992. Chosen by the Colorado Rockies in the Expansion Draft, he played for Colorado from 1993 to 1995.
After the 1995 season, he was traded to the Yankees and he played for New York from 1996 to 1999. In his four years with the Yankees, they won 400 regular season games and three world championships. During those four seasons, the Yankees had a 35-10 post-season record while winning 12 of 14 games in the World Series.
Prior to the 2000 season, Girardi returned to Chicago when he signed with the Cubs as a free agent. After three more years with the Cubs, he signed with St. Louis for the 2003 season. He retired after the end of the 2003 campaign.
In 2006, Girardi began his major league managing career with the Florida Marlins. In one year as the Marlins’ manager, he guided them to a 78-84 record and was honored as the National League Manager of the Year.
In October, 2007, he was hired as the 32nd manager in Yankees history, replacing the legendary Joe Torre.
Although he managed the Yankees to an 89-73 record in his first season, it was considered a disappointing season because New York missed the post-season for the first time since 1993.
In his second season as the Yankees’ manager, Girardi guided them to the best record in the major leagues with a 103-59 record. It was the Yankees’ best record since 2002. In the American League Divisional Series, the Yankees swept Minnesota in three straight games. The Yankees won the American League Championship Series over the Anaheim Angels in six games, enabling them to return to their first World Series since 2003.
In the World Series, Girardi managed the Yankees to their 27th world championship as they beat the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies in six games.
also see:
Girardi aids crash victim in on way home from Series clincher (from USAToday.com, Nov. 5, 2009)
About the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of FameCoSIDA established the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in 1988 with the purpose to honor former college student-athletes who have excelled in their professions and made substantial contributions to their community. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a candidate must have been an Academic All-America® team member who graduated at least ten years prior to nomination.
For more information about the Academic All-America® program, please visit
cosida.com/Awards/allamerica.aspx