June 16, 2009

2009 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic Teams

ARLINGTON, Texas - The University of Texas at Arlington baseball program led the Southland Conference with four student-athletes selected to the 2009 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic Teams, the SLC announced on Tuesday. Senior Matt Otteman (Lockport, Ill.) was a first team selection while sophomore Adam Boydston (Corinth, Texas) and seniors Ryan Martin (Friendswood, Texas) and Collin Garner (Arlington, Texas) were named to the second team. Twelve student-athletes were named to the first and second teams.

The All-Academic teams are voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance administrators from each Southland Conference university. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and participated in at least 50 percent of the team's competition to qualify for the all-academic squad.

Otteman, an exercise science major, won the SLC batting championship with a .432 average - third highest in SLC history - and led the league with eight triples. A first team All-Conference pick, Otteman posted 95 base hits, 15 doubles, nine home runs and tied a school record with 69 RBI.

Otteman's long list of accomplishments on the baseball field matches the success he has achieved in the classroom, including being named to the UT Arlington Spring 2008 Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll, 2007 UT Arlington Scholar Athlete, UT Arlington Spring and Fall 2007 Honor Roll, 2008-2009 Clay Gould Endowed Scholarship and Capital One Bank/SLC 2007 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll.

Otteman, a 2009 Southland Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, finished his career at UT Arlington with a .345 batting average, 97 runs scored, 170 base hits, 26 doubles, 10 triples (tied for ninth on UTA career list), 11 home runs, 113 RBI, 46 walks and 13 stolen bases. In addition, Otteman went 7-4 in 79.1 career innings on the mound for the Mavericks. Otteman posted a 4.99 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 25 appearances (nine starts) in his career.

Boydston, a history major, excelled in his first season as the Mavericks closer ranking fourth in the conference with nine saves. He led the team with 29 appearances (all in relief) and was among team leaders with a 3.29 ERA with 38.1 innings pitched. Boydston struck out 32 batters while allowing 21 walks and tallied a 1-5 record.

Boydston has earned the following academic honors during his collegiate career at UT Arlington, Capital One Bank/SLC 2008 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll, Fall 2007 UT Arlington Honor Roll, 2008 UT Arlington Super Scholar Athlete and UT Arlington Fall and Spring 2008 Honor Roll.

Martin, a political science major, finished his fourth season as a Maverick in 2009 with a 1-2 record and a 4.26 ERA. Martin made 14 appearances with 19.0 innings pitched and collected 11 strikeouts while allowing nine walks. One of Martin's highlights in 2009 came in a relief effort as he was one of three Maverick pitchers to combined on a 16-0 (7-inning run-rule) shutout victory over Northwestern State at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Martin has earned the following academic honors during his collegiate career at UT Arlington, Capital One Bank/SLC 2007 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll, Capital One Bank/SLC 2008 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll, UT Arlington 2007 Super Scholar Athlete, UT Arlington Spring and Fall 2007 Honor Roll, 2008 UT Arlington Super Scholar Athlete and UT Arlington Fall and Spring 2008 Honor Roll.

Garner, a mechanical engineering major, was a four-year performer on the Maverick baseball team while playing in 144 games during his four-year career. In 2009, Garner batted .254 (18-for-71) with 18 runs scored, one double and seven RBI. Garner posted 11 walks and was 3-of-5 in stolen bases.

Garner has also earned the following academic honors during his collegiate career at UT Arlington, Capital One Bank/SLC 2007 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll, Capital One Bank/SLC 2008 Commissioner's Spring Academic Honor Roll, UT Arlington 2007 Super Scholar Athlete, UT Arlington Spring and Fall 2007 Honor Roll, 2008 UT Arlington Super Scholar Athlete and UT Arlington Fall and Spring 2008 Honor Roll.

In addition, the UT Arlington baseball team recorded its fourth straight semester with a team grade point average of at least 3.0, all four semesters under second year head coach Darin Thomas.