IRVING, Texas – Conference USA’s commitment to off-field excellence continues as 11 baseball student-athletes have been named to the 2018 InTouch Credit Union Baseball All-Academic Team. Honorees are voted on by the league’s sports information directors for baseball and must hold a minimum GPA of 3.2 and have competed in at least 75 percent of their team’s games.
 
Complete Release (PDF)
 
2018 InTouch Credit Union C-USA Baseball All-Academic Team
*Kent Hasler, Louisiana Tech, Sr., P, Chandler, Arizona | 3.899 in interdisciplinary studies
Gordon Cardenas, Marshall, Sr., P, Manhattan Beach, California | 4.0 in leadership studies
Aaron Aucker, Middle Tennessee, R-Sr., IF, Knoxville, Tennessee | 3.439 in biology
*Austin Dennis, Middle Tennessee, Jr., OF/IF, Rockledge, Florida | 3.727 in management
Jim Wilkerson, Old Dominion, Sr., P, Ruston, Louisiana | 3.94 in history
Matt Canterino, Rice, So., P, Southlake, Texas | 3.99 in mechanical engineering
*Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss, Jr., P, Evans, Georgia | 3.91 in construction engineering technology
Brent Blackwood, UAB, R-Jr., DH, Hartselle, Alabama | 3.84 in accounting
Carter Pharis, UAB, Jr., IF, Trussville, Alabama | 3.83 in kinesiology-teacher certification
Palmer Wenzel, UTSA, Jr., P, San Antonio, Texas | 3.93 in cybersecurity
Ben Morrison, WKU, R-Sr., P, Bowling Green, Kentucky | 4.0 in biology (pre-med)
 
*Repeat Honoree
 
Infielder Aaron Aucker and repeat honoree Austin Dennis represent the Blue Raiders on this year’s InTouch Credit Union All-Academic Team. Aucker boasts a 3.439 GPA in biology and played every game for Middle Tennessee, and he is a two-time C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member. The redshirt-senior was named a NCBWA Preseason All-American, currently leads C-USA in RBI with 56 and owns a .346 batting average this season. Dennis leads the Blue Raiders in total hits (67), runs scored (53) and stolen bases (23), in which he ranks second in C-USA. The Rockledge, Florida, native is majoring in management with a 3.727 GPA and has twice been named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
 
Kent Hasler of Louisiana Tech earned a spot on last year’s all-academic team, is a two-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and a two-time recipient of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal with his 3.899 GPA in interdisciplinary studies. The senior pitcher leads the Bulldogs in saves with 7, has struck out 22 batters in 22.1 innings and has held those batters to a .196 batting average in 16 games.
 
Rounding out the repeat honorees is junior standout Nick Sandlin of Southern Miss, who owns a 3.91 GPA in construction engineering technology. Sandlin’s classroom efforts has been recognized with three C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medals, and has been named to the president’s list and the dean’s list. He is first in the nation in WHIP (0.67) and second in ERA (1.25). Sandlin is currently a finalist for the 2018 Dick Howser Trophy.
 
Marshall’s Gordon Cardenas boasts a 4.0 in leadership studies while leading the Thundering Heard in appearances on the mound. Cardenas received the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and was named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Jim Wilkerson of Old Dominion not only plans to be a history teacher after graduation with a 3.94 GPA in history, and is the oldest player in D1 baseball at 27 years. The former marine earned his first win in a shutout victory over C-USA opponent Charlotte.
 
Brent Blackwood and Carter Pharis of UAB earned spots on the all-academic team with a 3.84 in accounting and 3.83 in kinesiology-teacher certification, respectively. Blackwood leads the Blazers in batting average, slugging percentage and is tied for first in home runs. The redshirt-junior is a three-time C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll member, has earned UAB Presidential Honors four times, a six-time Athletic Director Honor Roll honoree and was named to the Dean’s List last spring. Pharis is UAB’s only player to start every game this season, leads the team in multi-hit games, ranks second in multi-RBI and hit a career high of two doubles against Samford (March, 27). The Trussville, Alabama, native has been named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll every season, a two-time Presidential Honors member, has been named to Dean’s List twice, a four-time Athletic Director’s Honor Roll honoree, and earned a spot on the 2016-17 American Coaches Association Team Academic Excellence Award Team.
 
Rice sophomore pitcher Matt Canterino posted a 5-4 record on the mound with a 3.80 ERA, averaged 11.6 strikeouts per 9.0 IP and has 209 strikeouts in 1725.0 careers innings as a sophomore. Canterino was named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll as a freshman last year and currently holds a 3.99 GPA in mechanical engineering.
 
WKU redshirt-senior Ben Morrison and UTSA junior Palmer Wenzel round out this year’s InTouch Credit Union All-Academic Team. Morrison boasts a 4.0 GPA in biology (pre-med) with a minor in biophysics/chemistry/entrepreneurship and will attend the University of Kentucky for medical school in the fall. He has been named to WKU’s President’s List every semester and has earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal every year. Morrison owns a 1.66 ERA in 21.2 innings of conference action, only allowing 15 hits for a .188 batting average. Wenzel leads the Roadrunners in appearances with 20 and has accumulated a team-high six victories, he owns a 3.97 ERA in 34.0 innings.
 
The 2018 C-USA Baseball Championship presented by The First begins Wednesday, May 23, in Biloxi, Mississippi at MGM Park. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, May 27, at 1 pm CT.