Ball State University Athletics
Two Ball State Baseball Players Named Academic All-Americans
June 03, 2016 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State baseball players Alex Call and Caleb Stayton were honored on the 2016 Academic All-America Division I baseball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Call and Stayton were two of just 11 players nationally to be selected to the Academic All-America first team as well as the only two players from the Mid-American Conference. They join Matt Deckman (2002), Dan Lehman (1993) and Scott Rafferty (1980) as the only Cardinals to earn Academic All-America first team accolades.
“Both Alex and Caleb exemplify the best of student and athlete,” Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. “I'm extremely elated for these guys and what they've done for the program. It makes us all really proud.”
Call was the MAC Baseball Player of the Year and a Louisville Slugger first team All-American as selected by Collegiate Baseball. The right fielder wrapped up his 2016 season as the conference leader in hits (87), runs (67), doubles (24), triples (6), total bases (162) and slugging (.667) while ranking among the top five players in the MAC in home runs (13), batting average (.358), stolen bases (17) and on-base percentage (.443). Call's numbers also stand up nationally as he currently ranks fourth in total bases, fifth in runs, sixth in doubles, and 19th in slugging percentage.
In the classroom, Call is set to earn his bachelor's degree in just three years. The junior from River Falls, Wisconsin, owns a 3.838 GPA in entrepreneurial management and is scheduled to graduate this summer. This is the second consecutive year Call was selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America team. He was a third team selection in 2015.
Stayton, a junior from of Goshen, Indiana, is a semifinalist for the Gregg Olson Award, an annual award presented to college baseball's breakout player of the year. He is one of six players nationally to record at least 70 RBIs this season (71). The first baseman notched at least five RBIs three times this spring, including equaling a career high with six RBIs in two contests. The first team All-MAC honoree led the league batting average (.377), walks (42), on-base percentage (.482) and RBIs (71).
Stayton is majoring in telecommunications and carries a 3.907 GPA following the spring semester.
To be eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades, student-athletes must have a key role on the field while maintaining a 3.30 cumulative GPA and must have reached sophomore standing.
For more information about the CoSIDA Academic All-America® program, please visit cosida.com.
The Cardinals concluded the season with a 32-26 record and won the MAC West Division title for the second time in the last three seasons.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
