JONESBORO, Ark. (05/07/09) ? Arkansas State seniors Brandon Eller and Jett Jones have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI baseball team, released Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

 

Eller, a first baseman from Sherwood, Ark., was named to the first team and will be placed on the Academic All-America ballot, while Jones, a pitcher from Stuttgart, Ark., was named to the second team.  Eller and Jones were two of just 22 players named to the teams, which are made up of student-athletes from Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico.

 

“We are extremely pleased and excited about Brandon and Jett receiving top academic honors as student-athletes from CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine,” said ASU Head Coach Tommy Raffo.  “They have worked diligently in the classroom throughout their careers at ASU and have deservingly been recognized for their efforts.”

 

Eller is a three-time Academic All-District winner and was named Academic All-America following his junior season.  A Mathematics major, he carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average and is currently batting a career-high .311.  He has driven in 35 runs on the year and has five home runs, both of which rank him second on the ASU team.  He has started 143 consecutive games over the last three seasons and has hit successfully in 31 of the last 34 games.

 

A Chemistry major with a 3.85 GPA, Jones has been outstanding since moving to the bullpen midway through his senior season.  He has given up just six earned runs in his last seven appearances and struck out six batters in just 3.1 innings against league-leader Western Kentucky April 18.  His 35 strikeouts and 49.0 innings pitched are tops among ASU relievers, and his 19 walks ties for second-fewest on the team.

 

To be nominated for Academic All-Region honors, student-athletes must maintain at least a cumulative 3.2 GPA and be at least a sophomore both academically and in athletic eligibility.  Eller and Jones were the only players from the state of Arkansas or the Sun Belt Conference to be named to the Academic All-District VI team at the University level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI

First Team

 

Kendal Volz ? Pitcher ? Baylor

Scott Bittle ? Pitcher ? Ole Miss

Kevin David ? Catcher ? Oklahoma State

Josh Cryer ? Catcher ? Southeastern Louisiana

Paul Goldschmidt ? Infield ? Texas State

Brandon Eller ? Infield ? Arkansas State

James Ewing ? Infield ? Southern Miss

Shaver Hansen ? Infield ? Baylor

Aaron Miller ? Outfield ? Baylor

Grant Hogue ? Outfield ? Mississippi State

Ryan Enos ? Outfield ? Dallas Baptist

Ryan Brauninger ? Designated Hitter ? McNeese State

 

Second Team

 

John Hesketh ? Pitcher ? New Mexico

Jett Jones ? Pitcher ? Arkansas State

Mike Brownstein ? Infield ? New Mexico

Jet Butler ? Infield ? Mississippi State

Brycen Bell ? Infield ? Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Russ Sneed ? Infield ? Mississippi State

Jordan Nipp ? Outfield ? Northwestern State

Ricard Stout ? Outfield ? New Mexico State

Chris Ellington ? Outfield ? TCU

Russell Moldenhauer ? Designated Hitter - Texas