Oklahoma State University Athletics
Eight Cowboys Named Baseball Academic All-Big 12
May 17, 2002 | Cowboy Baseball
May 17, 2002
DALLAS - Eight Oklahoma State student-athletes were named to the 2002 Baseball Academic All-Big 12 Team, honoring their achievements in the classroom.
Heading the list for OSU is senior outfielder Toby Rhodes, who was one of just three players in the conference to receive the award for the fourth time in his career. The senior from Oklahoma City is a biology/pre-dental major who was named to the second team.
Oklahoma State had the most student-athletes named to the overall list of all the Big 12 schools and it's five first team members tied for first with Baylor.
Junior infielder Zach Cates, senior pitcher Justin Meccage, senior infielder Paul Powell, senior infielder Ali Modami and sophomore pitcher Joe Weaver were all named to the first team.
A trio of seniors, catcher Matt Oakes, shortstop Rob Watson and Rhodes were all second-team honorees. Watson won the award for the second year in a row to join Rhodes as multiple-time recipients.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the baseball academic all-league squad consisted of 28 first team members with 22 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.2 or better grade-point average, while the second team are those who have a 3.0 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 grade point average or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests. Pitchers must have at least one inning pitched per game played by the team or have appeared in 35 percent of their team's total games. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation also are eligible.
