GEORGETOWN, Texas – Southwestern University senior Will Cates earned Capital One Academic All-District VIII laurels, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday. Cates now is eligible for the Academic All-America Ballot and he will looking to earn the honor for the second consecutive season after being a third-teamer a year ago.

The outfielder from Houston maintains a 3.78 GPA in biochemistry and was named to the team for the second consecutive season. He will graduate from Southwestern this weekend and attend medical school next year.

In his final campaign with the Pirates, the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder led the squad with a .388 batting average, 11 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs and 28 stolen bases. He also drove in 26 runs and scored 45 times. Cates was named first-team All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference last week for the second straight season.

The Capital One Academic All-District teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom and the squads are divided into eight geographical district across the United State. Capital One has been the entitlement rights holder to CoSIDA's Academic All-America program since 2011. This year's honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

– SOUTHWESTERN –