2018 C-USA All-Academic Team
IRVING, Texas — After wrapping his WKU Baseball career with an all-time performance, Ben Morrison has earned a spot on the 2018 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA All-Academic Team, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Morrison was previously honored following his sophomore season in 2015.
It is the second academic honor in the past two weeks for the righty reliever, who earned 2018 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District II honors on May 10. With All-District II honors, Morrison is eligible for the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, which will be announced around the beginning of June.
If you are a CoSIDA member, be sure to click HERE and vote by Tuesday, May 22 at 8 p.m. CT.
C-USA All-Academic nominees must be a starter or significant contributor to the team while carrying at least a 3.3 grade point average, and Morrison's credentials are top of the line.
On the bump, Morrison posted a 1.29 ERA in 28 innings in C-USA action, with a 3-2 record and three saves in 11 appearances. In those 28 frames, he allowed only 20 hits for a .189 batting average against. For the season overall, he recorded a 2.21 ERA across 36.2 innings, with a career-high seven saves.
Morrison had a 31-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in C-USA play and a 42-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio overall, ranking second among league relievers in both. He punched out at least a pair in 11 of his past 12 appearances, and boasts scoreless outings in 12-of-17 outings overall.
In the classroom, Morrison graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA studying Biology (Pre-Med) with triple minors in Biophysics, Chemistry and Entrepreneurship. He was also a member of the WKU Honors College and a part of the WKU FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) leadership team.
A redshirt senior in athletic standing, Morrison made WKU President's List all 10 semesters on campus and earned C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal every season. Morrison has been accepted to the University of Kentucky for medical school, and has volunteered at the local Bowling Green Medical Center to prepare for a potential career in medicine.
The Hilltoppers have had at least one student-athlete on the C-USA All-Academic Team since the program joined the league prior to the 2015 season. It was Morrison and Ryan Messex in 2015, Kaleb Duckworth and Steven Kraft in 2016, then Duckworth again in 2017.
WKU finished its 2018 season with a 21-31 overall record, including an 11-18 mark in C-USA action.
2018 C-USA All-Academic Team
Aaron Aucker, Middle Tennessee, r-Sr., IF, Knoxville, Tennessee (3.439 in biology)
Brent Blackwood, UAB, r-Jr., DH, Hartselle, Alabama (3.84 in accounting)
Matt Canterino, Rice, So., P, Southlake, Texas (3.99 in mechanical engineering)
Gordon Cardenas, Marshall, Sr., P, Manhattan Beach, California (4.0 in leadership studies)
Austin Dennis, Middle Tennessee, Jr., UTIL, Rockledge, Florida (3.727 in management)
Kent Hasler, Louisiana Tech, Sr., P, Chandler, Arizona (3.899 in interdisciplinary studies)
Ben Morrision, WKU, r-Sr., P, Bowling Green, Kentucky (4.0 in biology, pre-med)
Carter Pharis, UAB, Jr., IF, Trussville, Alabama (3.83 in kinesiology, teacher certification)
Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss, Jr., P, Evans, Georgia (3.91 in construction engineering technology)
Palmer Wenzel, UTSA, Jr., P, San Antonio, Texas (3.93 in cybersecurity)
Jim Wilkerson, Old Dominion, Sr., P, Ruston, Louisiana (3.94 in history)
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