The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- June 21, 1999

GTE Academic All-America teams named in baseball, softball

Players who helped their teams reach and excel in postseason play highlight this year's GTE Academic All-America Teams in baseball and softball.

In baseball, three standouts who led their teams to the Division I Super Regionals were named, including pitcher Jason Jennings of Baylor University, pitcher Alex Santos of the University of Miami (Florida) and catcher Casey Dunn of Auburn University.

Vanderbilt infielder Hunter Bledsoe was named as the university division's Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. An engineering major, Bledsoe also set a Vanderbilt single-season record with 95 hits and had a season average of .459.

The Team Member of the Year in the college division was pitcher David Bradley of Marietta College. Bradley posted a 16-1 record and a 1.57 earned-run average during the 1999 season and helped Marietta reach the Division III finals.

In softball, pitcher Kelly Schade of Simpson College, who pitched a three-hit shutout in the Division III Women's Softball Championship game, was named as the college division's Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.

Schade pitched two shutouts and won four games in the NCAA tournament in leading Simpson to its second national title in the last three years.

Also named to the college division first team were infielder Stephanie Carew of Division III runner-up Chapman College; Ithaca infielder Cheryl Wah, who helped her team to the Division III tournament; and North Dakota State outfielder Sarah Schmitz, whose team advanced to postseason play in Division II.

Infielder Isonette Polonius of East Carolina was named as the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year in the university division. She is a senior from Curacao, Netherlands Antilles.

The GTE Academic All-America Teams in baseball and softball are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. Nominees must be a varsity starter or key reserve and must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.200 (4.000 scale).

Following are this year's teams in baseball and softball:

Baseball

University division

First team

Pitchers -- Jason Jennings, Baylor, sociology; Alex Santos, Miami (Florida), finance.

Catcher -- Casey Dunn, Auburn, secondary social science education.

Infielders -- Hunter Bledsoe, Vanderbilt, engineering science/economics; Angelo Ciminiello, Providence, biology/premedicine; Mark Ernster, exercise science; Joey Foxhall, College of Charleston, physics; Key Voshell, Louisville, English.

Outfielders -- Andrew Huling, Harvard, computer science; Erik Mumm, Nebraska, mechanical engineering; Aaron Runk, Iowa State, finance.

Designated hitter -- Casey Myers, Arizona State, mathematics.

Second team

Pitchers -- Marc Bluma, Wichita State, criminal justice; Brian Wiley, The Citadel, health and physical education.

Catcher -- Joe Hietpas, Northwestern, economics; Willie Bloomquist, Arizona State, management; Ben Broussard, McNeese State, nursing; Doug Lorenz, Louisville, mathematics.

Outfielders -- Travis Howell, College of Charleston, marine biology; Mike Lockwood, Ohio State, sports and leisure; Jon Topolski, Baylor, finance.

Designated hitter -- Tom Yost, Miami (Ohio), elementary education.

Third team

Pitchers -- Mario Ramos, Rice, anthropology; Jon Smith, Cal State Fullerton, undeclared.

Catcher -- Josh Holliday, Oklahoma State, health promotions.

Infielders -- Ryan Anholt, Northwestern State, biology; Mark Circo, Delaware State, public relations; Dan Lawler, Creighton, accounting; Jason Rummel, Towson, finance.

Outfielders -- Dan Beers, Penn State, business logistics; Matthew Diaz, Florida State, communications; Jacob Koller, Western Illinois, political science.

Designated hitter -- Cliff Godwin, East Carolina, business administration.

College division

First Team

Pitchers -- David Bradley, Marietta, mathematics; Dustin Yowell, Central Oklahoma, public relations.

Catcher -- Josh Pirtle, Howard Payne, accounting.

Infielders -- Matt Barcellona, Chapman, chemistry; Craig Bonsall, Central Arkansas, accounting; Nick Clark, Adelphi, physical education; James Grandey, Muskingum, elementary education.

Outfielders -- John Christ, Johns Hopkins, mechanical engineering; Scott Raba, Frostburg State, health and physical education; Andy Reeb, St. Francis (Illinois), finance.

Designated hitter -- Tyson Duva, North Florida, political science.

Second team

Pitchers -- Mark Dolan, Slippery Rock, sociology; Andy Heimbach, Mt. Vernon Nazerene, social studies.

Catcher -- Daniel Calverly, Embry-Riddle, aerospace studies.

Infielders -- Austin Kinsey, Pittsburg State, accounting; Steve Kosa, North Alabama, general biology; Joel Morales, MIT, chemical engineering; David Trexler, Catawba, business administration.

Outfielders -- Mark Drake, Pittsburg State, elementary education; Bo Edwards, Trinity (Texas), accounting; Kevin McKenney, MIT, mechanical engineering.

Designated hitter -- Brent Schloe, Saint John's (Minnesota), accounting.

Third team

Pitchers -- Andy Cain, Rose-Hulman, electrical engineering; Tony Pierce, Columbus State, criminal justice.

Catcher -- Casey Kopitzke, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, criminal justice.

Infielders -- Matt Dehner, Oklahoma City, biology; Doug Keenholts, Rensselaer, management; Scott Schmid, Augustana (Illinois), business administration/marketing; Andy Sellers, Emory, biology/chemistry.

Outfielders -- Brian Arant, Central Oklahoma, industrial safety; Sam George, Eastern New Mexico, computer information systems; Brad Hiser, Nebraska-Kearney, chemistry/molecular biology.

Designated hitter -- Kyle Cullum, Asbury, history.

Softball

University division

First team

Pitchers -- Christine Engelhardt, Southeast Missouri State, elementary education; Paige England, Louisiana Tech, fitness and wellness management.

Catcher -- Melanie Manley, Middle Tennessee State, pre-physical therapy.

Infielders -- Heidi Geier, Creighton, journalism; Michelle Meadows, Virginia Tech, science of food, nutrition and exercise; Isonette Polonius, East Carolina, business management; Heather Stella, Illinois State, business administration.

Outfielders -- Carrie Carpenter, Michigan State, family community services; Kim Pietro, South Carolina, physical education; Lisa Verheul, Texas-Arlington, exercise, sport and health studies.

Designated hitter -- Margaret Hollis, Michigan State, microbiology.

Second team

Pitchers -- Amanda Scott, Fresno State, mass communications; Tarrah Beyster, Oregon State, psychology.

Catcher -- Erica St. Romain, Louisiana Tech, fitness and wellness management.

Infielders -- Traci Conrad, Michigan, sports management/communications; Yvette Healy, DePaul, communications, Jennifer Oermann, Southeast Missouri State, elementary education; Karen Stewart, DePaul, secondary education.

Outfielders -- Amy Doyle, Ball State, secondary education/history; Kenyail Norris, Tennessee, engineering science; Mandy Smart, Purdue, movement and sport science.

Designated hitter -- Sarah Adams, Southern Utah, physical education.

Third team

Pitchers -- Keri Malcolmson, North Carolina-Wilmington, biology; Kristin Ferguson, Iowa State, mathematics.

Catcher -- Jennifer Fisher, Manhattan, physical education.

Infielders -- Nikki Cockrell, Texas, kinesiology/sports management; Kelly Olino, Cornell, biological sciences; Stacy Waite, Bucknell, English; Paula Workman, Texas Tech, high performance management.

Outfielders -- Steph Midthun, Minnesota, kinesiology; Regina Speicher, Villanova, mathematics; Stephanie White, Long Island-Brooklyn, finance.

Designated hitter -- Cortney Madea, Maryland, government/politics.

College division

First team

Pitchers -- Laura Hering, Wisconsin-Whitewater, sociology; Kelly Schade, Simpson, economics.

Catcher -- Julie Cobb, Central Missouri State, occupational safety and health.

Infielders -- Stephanie Carew, Chapman, business administration; Molly Carr, Indiana (Pennsylvania), elementary education; Nathalie Fradette, Columbus State, exercise science; Cheryl Wah, Ithaca, sports ,management.

Outfielders -- Casey Bates, Lees-McRae, biology/sports medicine; Stephanie Kraemer, Wingate, athletic training; Sarah Schmitz, North Dakota State, industrial engineering.

Designated hitter -- Kristin Muenzen, Ithaca, English/sports information/communications.

Second team

Pitchers -- Tara Buzzell, Nebraska-Omaha, speech pathology; Jennifer Segner, Muskingum, biology.

Catcher -- Jenny Harman, North Florida, elementary education.

Infielders -- Darcie Berry, Nebraska-Kearney, wildlife biology; Jeanine Evans, Lycoming, biology; Jennifer Garin, St. Mary's (Minnesota), environmental biology; Michelle Lechner, St. Cloud State, applied psychology.

Outfielders -- Cathryn Cline, St. Francis (Illinois), elementary education; Stephanie Delucia, Assumption, psychology/social rehabilitation; Cathy Jacobson, Texas Woman's, kinesiology.

Designated hitter -- Christine Runfola, Catholic, electrical engineering.

Third team

Pitchers -- Julianne Coleman, Florida Southern, accounting; Susie Schoales, Hawaii Pacific, marketing/corporate communications.

Catcher -- Dina Terceira, Wheaton (Massachusetts), political science.

Infielders -- DeAnn Edge, Anderson (Indiana), physical education; Tracy Hyman, Lenoir-Rhyne, nursing; Kim Jones, Mississippi University for Women, exercise science; Paige Krul, Rollins, Spanish/communications.

Outfielders -- Torrie Beauchamp, Washburn, nursing; Sara Kummer, Illinois Wesleyan, business administration; Molly Rock, Brockport State, business administration.

Designated hitter -- Jill Hocking, St. Mary's (Minnesota), accounting.