Will Cates of Southwestern University was named a Third Team Academic All-America on Tuesday afternoon by CoSIDA.

Cates is the only SCAC athlete to earn a spot on the prestigious team and is only the third Southwestern baseball player to earn the honor and the first since Taylor Paul and Justin Barnett earned Academic All-American spots on the first and second team in 2001. He is a biochemistry major and boasts a 3.75 grade point average.

He was named the SCAC Player of the Year earlier this year. A junior outfielder from Cy Fair, Texas, Cates led the SCAC in nearly every offensive category. He was third in batting average (.391), fourth in hits (66), first in triple triples (eight), second in total bases (107), first in slugging percentage (.633), first in runs scored (51) and first in stolen bases (31). He was also in the top 10 in the league in doubles (10 – seventh), home runs (5 – fourth), runs batted in (36 – fourth) and on-base percentage (.425 – ninth).

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic AllAmerica honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

Of the 33 members of the Capital One Academic All-America ® Division III baseball team, 14 have a 3.90 G.P.A or better. Five of this year's honorees have a perfect 4.0 G.P.A.