View the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Baseball (.pdf)
TOWSON, Md. — Junior pitcher
Mike Leake of Arizona State and senior first baseman
Jon Alia of California State Dominguez Hills headline the 2009
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Baseball Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Leake and Alia have been chosen as the winners of the Academic All-America® of the Year award in the University and College Divisions, respectively.
A Management major with a 3.42 G.P.A., Leake is the NCAA Division I leader with 14 victories. In 15 appearances, including 14 starts, Leake has posted a 14-1 record with a 1.24 E.R.A. Named as the Pacific-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2008, he has 128 strikeouts in 115.2 innings of work while issuing only 18 walks. A finalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year Award, he ranks second in the nation with his 1.24 E.R.A. In May, he pitched back-to-back four-hit shutouts against Oregon and UCLA, striking out 12 batters in each game. Leake will take an 11-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament.
A second team All-American as a sophomore, Leake has pitched six complete games and two shutouts this season. Named as the National Pitcher of the Week in mid-May, the Fallbrook, California native has led the second-ranked Sun Devils to a 42-13 record and their third consecutive Pac-10 championship. A first team All-Pac-10 selection as a freshman and sophomore, he was honored as a first team Freshman All-American in 2007. In his career, he has compiled a record of 38-6 with 326 strikeouts in 364 innings pitched. Leake will lead the Sun Devils into the NCAA Tournament for the tenth consecutive year.
The eighth-leading hitter in NCAA Division II, Alia was a two-year starter at first base for California State Dominguez Hills. A Kinesiology major with a 3.90 G.P.A., he was honored as the California Collegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year. As a senior, he batted a school record .467 and ranked third in the nation with 98 base hits. He also set school records with 20 home runs and 78 runs batted in. Additionally, he set school records for base hits (98), doubles (25) and total bases (187) in a season while his .890 slugging percentage was also a single season record.
A native of Newbury Park, California, Alia led the Toros to a 34-23 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2009. A two-time CCAA Player of the Week, he was recognized by the NCAA on National Student-Athlete Day for his work in the classroom and the community. He set a school record with a .403 career batting mark.
Graduate student Matt Nohelty, the designated hitter for the University of Minnesota, is the only repeat selection on the Academic All-America® University Division first team. A Computer Science major with a 3.97 G.P.A., Nohelty was a first team Academic All-America® outfielder in 2008 and earned third team notice as a sophomore. A two-time All-Big Ten Conference outfielder, he is batting .339 this season, helping the 20th-ranked Golden Gophers compile a 38-17 overall record and finish as Big Ten runners-up. The Big Ten leader with 64 runs scored, Nohelty also ranks among the Big Ten leaders with 25 stolen bases in 30 attempts.
Senior pitcher Brian Morrell of Eastern Illinois was named to the first team after earning second team notice in 2008. Senior infielder Brandon Eller of Arkansas State and senior outfielder Matt Maher of Fairleigh Dickinson, a pair of third team choices in 2008, were also named to the Academic All-America® first team.
The Citadel was the only school with more than one Scholar-Athlete named to the first team as senior outfielder Sonny Meade and junior infielder Chris McGuiness represented the Bulldogs.
Senior catcher Jeremy Gillan of Jacksonville, infielder Ryan Bennett of Saint Louis University, senior infielder Nate Freiman of Duke and senior outfielder Brady Shoemaker of Indiana State complete the Academic All-America® University Division first team.
A Biological Sciences major with a 4.00 G.P.A., Morrell helped Eastern Illinois post a 36-14 record en route to a first place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference regular season standings. He is tied for the team lead with 25 appearances. A dependable reliever out of the EIU bullpen, he has compiled a 3-2 record with two saves and a 4.89 E.R.A. In 53.1 innings of work, he has 45 strikeouts and 24 walks. As a junior, he helped EIU win the OVC Tournament with a win and a save. In his career, the Quincy, Illinois native has a 10-5 record with four saves and a 4.44 E.R.A.
A three-year starter at first base for Arkansas State, Eller is a Mathematics major with a 4.00 G.P.A. As a senior, he batted .311 with four home runs and 39 runs batted in. The Red Wolves’ third-leading hitter, he was second on the team in RBI’s. A native of Sherwood, Arkansas, Eller started 150 consecutive games for Arkansas State. An excellent defensive player who had a .991 fielding percentage, he helped the Red Wolves post a 23-30 record in 2009.
Maher, a Communication major with a 3.95 G.P.A., finished his career as Fairleigh Dickinson’s all-time leader with 201 base hits and 71 stolen bases. A second team All-Northeast Conference selection as a senior, he batted .339 with two home runs and 27 runs batted in. He also led the Knights with 29 stolen bases and 45 runs. A native of Peekskill, N.Y., Maher was the NEC’s Scholar-Athlete the last two years. He led Fairleigh Dickinson to a 16-34 record in 2009.
The only teammates on the Academic All-America® first team, Meade and McGuiness were both named to the All-Southern Conference first team in 2009.
A Business Administration major with a 3.83 G.P.A., Meade batted .397 with 22 doubles, five home runs and 67 RBI’s. With 59 runs scored, he led the Southern Conference. In the conference tournament, he set a school record when he banged out his 100th base hit of the year. A four-time all-conference pick, the Summerville, S.C. native is just the third player in school history with 300 career hits. Ranked second in the nation with 104 hits, he helped The Citadel post a 37-22 record, including a 20-10 mark in conference play.
One of only two juniors on the Academic All-America® first team, McGuiness is a two-year starter at first base for The Citadel who batted .367 with 15 home runs and 59 RBI’s. He leads NCAA Division I with 64 walks and is one of the national leaders with a .526 on-base percentage. A Business Administration major with a 3.92 G.P.A., the James Island, S.C. native ranks among the conference leaders in homers and RBI’s.
The fourth-leading hitter in the Atlantic Sun Conference with a .404 average, Gillan is an Exercise Science major with a 3.74 G.P.A. Named first team all-conference, he led Jacksonville to a 36-20 record and the Atlantic Sun Tournament championship. An excellent defensive catcher, he has a 1.000 fielding percentage. Named second team all-conference in 2008, he has 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 59 RBI’s. A native of Port St. Lucie, Fla., Gillan has thrown out 46 per cent of base runners try to steal.
Selected as the Atlantic 10 Conference Student-Athlete of the Year, Bennett was a three-year starter at shortstop for the Billikens. A graduate student who had a 3.95 G.P.A. as an undergraduate, he is pursuing his M.B.A. As a senior, he led Saint Louis with a .368 batting average, 16 doubles and 19 stolen bases. The Kansas City, Mo. native was one of Atlantic 10 batting leaders for most of the season. Bennett led Saint Louis to a 30-25 record, the second-highest win total in school history.
The Atlantic Coast Conference home run leader, Freiman has been a three-year starter at first base for Duke. While batting .352, he has smashed a school record 20 home runs with 62 runs batted in, third in the ACC. A History major with a minor in Mathematics and a 3.84 G.P.A., Freiman is a three-time selection to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. The second-leading hitter in Duke history with a .353 average, the Wellesley, Massachusetts native broke the school record with 43 career home runs. With 180 RBI’s, he ranks fifth on Duke’s career list. He has led Duke to a 35-24 record and an appearance in the ACC Tournament.
The top hitter in the Missouri Valley Conference, Shoemaker is a Physical Education major with a 3.85 G.P.A. The Brazil, Indiana native is batting .403 with a league-leading .724 slugging percentage. A first team All-MVC selection, he leads the Sycamores with 14 home runs and 50 runs batted in while scoring 61 runs. An honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior, he has a 1.000 fielding percentage. Shoemaker has led Indiana State to a 33-19 record and a second place finish in the MVC.
The Academic All-America® University Division first team honorees have an average G.P.A. of 3.86.
Although there are no repeat selections on the Academic All-America® College Division first team, senior pitcher Jason Decker of Mount Vernon Nazarene, a second team pick in 2008, and senior outfielder Matthew “Cody” Kidd of Baldwin-Wallace, a third team selection, moved up to the first team.
Senior pitcher Ben Watkins of Pittsburgh-Johnston joins Decker as the pitchers on the Academic All-America® College Division first team. Senior Chris Ahearn of Catawba, senior Tristan Hobbes of Eastern Connecticut and junior Brian Hiscox of Otterbein join Alia as the four infielders on the first team. Senior Jason Fobes of Colorado State-Pueblo and senior Zander Lehmann of Washington (Mo.) University complete the outfield, along with Kidd.
Catcher Kyle Kowalowski of Plattsburgh State, a graduate student, and senior designated hitter Scott Fisher of Richard Stockton complete the Academic All-America® College Division first team.
A Criminal Justice and Intercultural Studies major with a 4.00 G.P.A., Decker has led Mount Vernon Nazarene to a 34-19 record and a berth in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Tournament. A veteran righthander who has a 21-14 career record, Decker has been an honorable mention all-conference pick the last two years. As a senior, the Dover, Pa. native has pitched in 14 games with 13 starts. He has posted a 7-6 record with eight complete games. In 81 innings of work, he has 61 strikeouts and only ten walks. In 2008, he had an 8-6 record when he helped the Cougars win the NCCAA championship.
A three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference outfielder, Kidd is a Biology/Pre-Med major with a 3.83 G.P.A. As a senior, he earned second team all-region honors by batting .413 with 52 runs scored, 13 doubles, six triples, three home runs and 40 runs batted in. He led the OAC in triples and stolen bases (23). A four-year starter and two-year captain, the Wellington, Ohio native ended his career with a .387 batting average. He set career records for runs scored (143), base hits (184), triples (14) and runs batted in (92). A member of the Alpha Lambda and Chi Sigma Alpha honor societies, he was very active in Habitat For Humanity.
An Electrical Engineering Technology major with a 3.93 G.P.A., Watkins was named as the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year after posting a 7-1 record in 2009. A first team All-Atlantic region selection, Watkins was the WVIAC Pitcher of the Week three times and led UPJ to a 29-15 record. In 53.1 innings, he posted a microscopic 0.84 E.R.A., second in NCAA Division II. The Tire Hill, Pa. native had 63 strikeouts and only four walks.
A two-year starter at shortstop, Ahearn earned first team All-South Atlantic Conference honors the last two years. As a senior, he hit .356 with 46 runs scored. A Sports Management major with a 3.97 G.P.A., he led Catawba to the SAC Tournament championship by hitting .583, earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Ahearn, who had six doubles, three triples, five home runs and 38 RBI’s, stole 14 bases. A native of Charlotte, N.C., he helped Catawba post a 36-18 record and earn a berth in the NCAA Division II regional tournament.
A Communication major with a 3.82 G.P.A., Hobbes minors in Sports & Leisure Management. A four-year starter at first base, he batted .331 as a senior, helping the Warriors win the Little East Conference championship. One of the Warriors’ top hitters, he led them to a 39-8 record and a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division III regional. A two-time all-conference pick, he ended his career with a .330 batting average, 12 home runs and 122 RBI’s. The Utica, N.Y. native was ECSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council president and was the winner of the State of Connecticut’s Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award for academic success and community service.
A two-year starter at third base, Hiscox has been named first team All-Ohio Athletic Conference and first team All-Mideast region the last two seasons. A Public Relations and Communications major with a 3.81 G.P.A., he batted .378 to lead the Cardinals. The only junior on the Academic All-America® College Division first team, Hiscox also led the team with 44 runs scored, 50 RBI’s and 32 walks. A native of Burton, Ohio, he belted a school record 18 homers in 2009. With 33 home runs, he is Otterbein’s career leader. In 2009, he homered in eight straight games to set an NCAA record. A broadcaster for Otterbein’s student radio station, he is fourth in NCAA Division III with 18 home runs in 40 games.
A first team All-Central Region outfielder, Fobes has been one of the leading hitters in NCAA Division II for most of the year. A Business Administration major with a 3.89 G.P.A., he batted .474 with 55 runs scored, 27 doubles, five home runs and 76 RBI’s. While posting the second-highest batting average in Colorado State Pueblo baseball history, he led the Thunderwolves to a 41-22 record and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship. Led by Fobes, CSU Pueblo finished third in the NCAA Division II Central regional. A native of Longmont, Colorado, Fobes was named first team All-RMAC and was named as the RMAC Academic Player of the Year. A three-year starter in left field, he finished his career with a .425 career batting average, the second-highest mark in school history.
A Psychology major with a 3.85 G.P.A., Lehmann was a four-year starter in right field for Washington University. A first team All-University Athletic Association selection as a senior, he led the UAA with a .423 batting average. Lehmann also led the UAA with seven home runs and 47 runs scored. He also had nine doubles and 30 RBI’s, leading the Bears to a 25-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III Central regional tournament. A native of San Francisco, California, he had a .373 career batting average, the fifth-highest mark in school history.
The only graduate student named to the Academic All-America® College Division first team, Kowalowski was a four-year starter at catcher for Plattsburgh State. Kowalowski, who earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology with a 3.66 G.P.A., is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Counselor Education and has a 3.77 G.P.A. The Cardinals’ top hitter in 2009, he batted .386 with 11 doubles, two home runs and 36 runs batted in. A four-time All-SUNYAC selection, he led the Cardinals to a 24-17 record in 2009 while earning All-Region notice. A native of Saranac, N.Y., he was the winner of the Semmier Award, presented to Plattsburgh’s graduating student-athlete with the highest G.P.A.
A Visual Communications major with a 3.43 G.P.A., Fisher rounds out the Academic All-America® College Division first team as the designated hitter. Named first team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference twice, Fisher was honored as a second team All-America pick by the ABCA in 2008. The third-leading hitter in the NJAC, he hit .446 as a senior with 12 home runs and 47 RBI’s in 32 games. A versatile player, he was the designated hitter for Richard Stockton while also playing first base and pitching. Ranked sixth in the nation with a .876 slugging percentage, he was tenth in homers per game. As a pitcher, he compiled a 3-3 record with a 3.97 E.R.A. for the Ospreys, who posted a 15-17 record.
The Academic All-America® College Division first team honorees have an average G.P.A. of 3.83.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
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For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit
www.cosida.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dan O’Connell, Towson University (
doconnell@towson.edu)
(410) 704-3102
Academic All-America ® Vice-Chair For Publicity/Communications
Academic All-America ® Coordinator of Publicity