May 15, 2008
Eight members of the Texas A&M baseball team were named to the Academic All-Big 12 squads, the league office announced Thursday.
Seniors Daman Aaron (Lubbock, Texas), Darby Brown (Lubbock, Texas) and Blake Rampy (Tomball, Texas), along with juniors Evan Gerald (Amarillo, Texas), Brian Ruggiano (Austin, Texas) and Kyle Thebeau (Corpus Christi, Texas) all earned first-team honors. Sophomore Travis Starling (Yoakum, Texas) and senior Blake Stouffer (San Antonio, Texas) were named to the second team.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the baseball academic all-league team consisted of 46 first team members combined with 16 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters. All players nominated must have participated in 60 percent of their team's scheduled contests, while pitchers are required to have at least one inning pitched per game played by the team or have appeared in 20 percent of their team's total games. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
Individually, Brett Scott (Kansas State) received special recognition for posting a 4.00 grade point average.
Texas A&M returns to action on Friday when the Aggies meet Texas at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin in the opening game of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally by FOX College Sports. The series then shifts to Olsen Field in College Station on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.), and tickets are available by calling 888-99-AGGIE or logging on to aggieathletics.com.