| Michael Rockett |
FRISCO ? Senior Michael Rockett was named to the Southland Conference's All-Academic first team, the league office announced on Tuesday. It marks the third year in a row that the center fielder has been named to the circuit's top squad for his work in the classroom.
The Sugar Land native, who became the third-highest Major League Baseball draft pick in school history last week (13th round by Detroit Tigers), maintains a 3.16 grade-point average in economics and is on track to graduate next year.
Rockett recently wrapped up his four-year UTSA career, a
stint that saw him become a second-team All-American and the Southland
Conference Player of the Year as a junior. He also was a two-time
first-team All-SLC honoree (just the second player in school history to
earn such honors/Jeff Juarez, 1998-99), and a four-time all-league
selection overall (second teamer in 2006-07).
In his final campaign with the Roadrunners, Rockett led the team in batting average (career-high .394), runs scored
(63), hits (school-record 99), multi-hit games (33) and total bases
(SLC-leading 167). He also posted 17 doubles, three triples, a
career-best 15 home runs and 58 RBIs to go along with 14 stolen bases
and eight outfield assists. Rockett, who recorded a hit in all but four
of 56 games during the spring, also registered three hitting streaks of
14 games or more, including a career-best 20-gamer. He broke league
career records for at-bats (940), hits (337), doubles (64), RBIs (210)
and total bases (537), as well as UTSA all-time marks for games started
(218) and runs (200). Rockett was just as impressive in conference
games, hitting .390 with 37 runs, nine doubles, a triple, six homers,
31 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
2009 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic Teams
First Team
Paul Goldschmidt, Texas State (Student-Athlete of the Year)
Brycen Bell, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Ryan Brauninger, McNeese State
Josh Cryer, Southeastern Louisiana
Zach Gardner, Stephen F. Austin
Josh Huffman, Central Arkansas
Erich Lehmann, Stephen F. Austin
Jordan Nipp, Northwestern State
Matt Otteman, UT Arlington
Michael Rockett, UTSA
Brian Taylor, Lamar
Tye Throneberry, Central Arkansas
Second Team
Adam Boydston, UT Arlington
Brian Ferguson, Stephen F. Austin
Collin Garner, UT Arlington
Ryan Martin, UT Arlington
Sam Merrill, McNeese State
Ryan Mooney, Sam Houston State
Justin O’Neal, Northwestern State
Lee Orr, McNeese State
Jeremiah Sammy, Lamar
Ricky Testa, Lamar
Joe Urtuzuastegui, Northwestern State
Zach Tritz, Texas State