DeLand, Fla. ? Stetson athletics is proud to announce that Hatters outfielder Jeremy Cruz has been named Second Team All-America as an outfielder by ABCA/Rawlings. He is the only player in the Atlantic Sun Conference named All-America by the ABCA.
The ABCA All-American teams are collegiate baseball's oldest selections, dating to 1949. All Division I coaches have the opportunity to nominate and vote on these selections, which are initially compiled into eight All-Region teams. These teams are then finalized as the first, second and third All-American teams by the ABCA's NCAA Division I All-American and Coach of the Year Committee, chaired by Dean Ehehalt of Monmouth University (NJ). This year, the committee selected 65 players as 2009 ABCA All-Americans.
This is the latest post-season honor for the standout Hatter. Cruz, a senior out of Miami, Florida was named First Team All-South Region by the ABCA last week. Prior to that he earned TPX Louisville Slugger Second Team All-America and All-Ping! Baseball honors, was named the A-Sun Player of the Year, and was drafted in the 13th round (411th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Cruz completed the season with a .399 batting average, 18 home runs and 80 runs batted in. He narrowly missed batting over .400 for the second consecutive season by just percentage points. His 18 home runs tied the team record for home runs in a season, and his 80 RBI placed him at the top of the conference, and in the Top-5 in the nation. His RBI effort tied him for the sixth-best single-season total in A-Sun history and is the third-highest total in the league in the last 20 years. Cruz also led Stetson in hits (91), doubles (19), runs scored (62), slugging percentage (.719), and on base percentage (.474).
