Monday, August 10, 2020

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Honoring success both on the diamond and in the classroom, baseball teams from Northwest Nazarene and Concordia have received 2019-20 Team Academic Excellence Awards from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).

The two programs are among 296 collegiate baseball programs nationwide recognized by the coaches organization. Eligible teams must have a head coach who is an ABCA member and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Both programs were among the top academically within the GNAC. Northwest Nazarene finished the year with a 3.29 cumulative GPA. In the shortened 2020 season, the Nighthawks finished with a 9-7 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark which led the GNAC at the time of the COVID-19 shutdown.

Northwest Nazarene placed 10 student-athletes on the GNAC Baseball All-Academic Team. The Nighthawks were led junior utility player Ben Johnson, who led the team with a 3.97 GPA and selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Baseball Team.

Concordia shared top honors among conference teams with a 3.30 cumulative GPA, sharing the spot with Saint Martin’s. In the school’s final season of competition, the Cavaliers with a 4-13 overall record and 3.5 conference mark in the shortened season. The Cavaliers placed 10 players on the GNAC All-Academic Team.