May 8, 2008

Naccarato, Martin Earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Honors

     PITTSBURG -- Two members of the Pittsburg State University baseball team earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America today (May 8).
     Senior third baseman Luke Naccarato earned first-team All-District honors, while senior outfielder Patrick Martin received second-team accolades. Naccarato is now eligible for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® team for baseball will be announced May 27.
    Naccarato, a Hutchinson, Kan., native, has a perfect 4.00 GPA as a management major. He started 49 games for the Gorillas, batting .226 with seven doubles, 27 runs scored and 19 RBIs. Naccarato earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a junior in 2007.
    Martin, a native of Girard, Kan., has a 3.888 GPA as a mathematics major. He saw action in 40 games, including 34 starts, batting .259 with four doubles, 23 runs scored and 11 RBIs this spring.
    Student-athletes must meet four criteria to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors: 1) must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better, 2) must have at least two terms of attendance at the institution, 3) must be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility, 4) must be a starter or key reserve in their respective sport.
    The All-District selection is determined by voting of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). District VII is comprised of NCAA Division II and Division III and NAIA institutions from the states of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
    Since January 2000, Pitt State has produced 42 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® student-athletes -- the second-highest total among all Division II institutions and the eighth-highest total among all colleges nationwide.