Two Bears Earn CoSIDA Academic All-America® Honors
7/29/2021 1:58:00 PM | Baseball
Garett Delano, RJ Yeager became the first Bears to earn this honor since 2017
AUSTIN, Texas – Mercer's Garett Delano and RJ Yeager have been named CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team honorees, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday.
"I am proud of RJ and Garett!" remarked head coach Craig Gibson. "One of the areas we pride ourselves and our program on is the academic success of our student/athletes. To be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American is a very special honor that these guys worker very hard to achieve this accomplishment."
Delano, a graduate student from Callahan, Fla., was an infielder and right-handed pitcher. Following the season, Delano earned Second Team All-American honors from the Collegiate Baseball Foundation and Third Team All-American honors by D1 Baseball. He led the team with a .337 batting average and 52 RBI. Delano showed off his power with nine home runs and 13 doubles. On the mound, he made 15 appearances - 12 starts and 3 in relief. He posted a 6-1 record and 4.32 ERA, tallying 60 strikeouts to only 20 walks and held opponents to a .231 average through a team-high 81.1 innings. Delano was a finalist for the John Olreud Two-Way Player of the Year, given to the best two-way player in the country.
Yeager, a junior infielder from Lynn Haven, Fla., hit .308 with 13 home runs and finished second on the team with 50 RBI, the seventh-highest total in the Southern Conference. He had on-base percentage of .363 and stole 10 bases. Out of his 72 hits, 32 went for extra bases. Yeager has hit 28 career home runs, the program's second-most by an active player. In the field, Yeager has a fielding percentage of .969 with 72 putouts and 145 assists. Yeager was a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, which is presented to the best shortstop in the nation.
CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® TEAMS
Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Brendan Beck, Stanford University
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Brendan Beck Stanford University 3.63 Sr. Science, Technology & Society
P Brett Kerry University of South Carolina 3.72 Jr. Operations & Supply Chain
C Andy Thomas Baylor University 3.44 / 4.00 Gr. Marketing (UG) / Business Admin. (G)
IF Jace Jung Texas Tech University 3.71 Jr. Sport Management
IF Alex Kachler University of North Florida 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Management (G)
IF Dillan Shrum University of Nevada 3.57 Gr. Biology (Cell & Molecular Biology)
IF Rankin Woley (1) Auburn University 3.92 Sr. Business Administration
OF Aaron Anderson Liberty University 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. MBA
OF Christian Del Castillo University of Miami 3.98 / 3.98 Gr. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (G)
OF Mason McWhorter Georgia Southern University 3.67 / 3.67 Gr. Sport Management
OF Aaron Zavala University of Oregon 3.41 Jr. Business Administration
DH Steele Netterville Louisiana Tech University 3.92 Sr. Biology
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Mason Black Lehigh University 3.81 Jr. Bioengineering
P Jordan Wicks Kansas State University 3.69 Jr. Business Administration
C Drew Blakely University of Richmond 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Non-Profit Studies
IF T.J. Collett University of Kentucky 3.40 / 3.40 Gr. Communication (G)
IF Trey Sweeney Eastern Illinois University 3.61 Jr. Accounting
IF Tim Tawa Stanford University 3.52 Sr. Communication
IF Hunter Wells Louisiana Tech University 3.38 / 3.55 Gr. Supply Chain Management (UG) / MBA (G)
OF Brock Jones Stanford University 3.73 So. Undeclared
OF Zach Kokoska Kansas State University 3.85 Sr. Communication Studies
OF Andrew MacNeil (2) Stetson University 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Microbiology (UG) / MBA (G)
DH Mike Monahan Eastern Michigan University 3.74 Sr. Business Management
THIRD TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Matt Bridges East Carolina University 3.80 / 4.00 Gr. Public Health Studies (UG) / MBA (G)
P Jonathan Fincher Louisiana Tech University 3.89 Sr. Biology
C Mike Caruso Fairfield University 3.64 Sr. Public Health
IF Garett Delano Mercer University 3.30 / 3.63 Gr. Economics (UG) / MBA (G)
IF Brett Harris Gonzaga University 3.49 Sr. Special Education
IF Zach Stevens U.S. Naval Academy 3.84 Jr. Operations Research
IF RJ Yeager Mercer University 3.73 / 3.50 Gr. Business Admin. (UG) / MBA (G)
OF Drew Ashley Indiana University 3.97 Sr. Biology
OF Joe Lomuscio (3) Brown University 4.00 Sr. Economics
DH Devin Buckner USC Upstate 3.54 Sr. Marketing
(1) = 2020 2nd team Academic All-America®
(2) = 2020 3rd team Academic All-America®
(3) = 2019 2nd team Academic All-America®
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
"I am proud of RJ and Garett!" remarked head coach Craig Gibson. "One of the areas we pride ourselves and our program on is the academic success of our student/athletes. To be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American is a very special honor that these guys worker very hard to achieve this accomplishment."
Delano, a graduate student from Callahan, Fla., was an infielder and right-handed pitcher. Following the season, Delano earned Second Team All-American honors from the Collegiate Baseball Foundation and Third Team All-American honors by D1 Baseball. He led the team with a .337 batting average and 52 RBI. Delano showed off his power with nine home runs and 13 doubles. On the mound, he made 15 appearances - 12 starts and 3 in relief. He posted a 6-1 record and 4.32 ERA, tallying 60 strikeouts to only 20 walks and held opponents to a .231 average through a team-high 81.1 innings. Delano was a finalist for the John Olreud Two-Way Player of the Year, given to the best two-way player in the country.
Yeager, a junior infielder from Lynn Haven, Fla., hit .308 with 13 home runs and finished second on the team with 50 RBI, the seventh-highest total in the Southern Conference. He had on-base percentage of .363 and stole 10 bases. Out of his 72 hits, 32 went for extra bases. Yeager has hit 28 career home runs, the program's second-most by an active player. In the field, Yeager has a fielding percentage of .969 with 72 putouts and 145 assists. Yeager was a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, which is presented to the best shortstop in the nation.
CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® TEAMS
Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Brendan Beck, Stanford University
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Brendan Beck Stanford University 3.63 Sr. Science, Technology & Society
P Brett Kerry University of South Carolina 3.72 Jr. Operations & Supply Chain
C Andy Thomas Baylor University 3.44 / 4.00 Gr. Marketing (UG) / Business Admin. (G)
IF Jace Jung Texas Tech University 3.71 Jr. Sport Management
IF Alex Kachler University of North Florida 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Management (G)
IF Dillan Shrum University of Nevada 3.57 Gr. Biology (Cell & Molecular Biology)
IF Rankin Woley (1) Auburn University 3.92 Sr. Business Administration
OF Aaron Anderson Liberty University 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. MBA
OF Christian Del Castillo University of Miami 3.98 / 3.98 Gr. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (G)
OF Mason McWhorter Georgia Southern University 3.67 / 3.67 Gr. Sport Management
OF Aaron Zavala University of Oregon 3.41 Jr. Business Administration
DH Steele Netterville Louisiana Tech University 3.92 Sr. Biology
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Mason Black Lehigh University 3.81 Jr. Bioengineering
P Jordan Wicks Kansas State University 3.69 Jr. Business Administration
C Drew Blakely University of Richmond 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Non-Profit Studies
IF T.J. Collett University of Kentucky 3.40 / 3.40 Gr. Communication (G)
IF Trey Sweeney Eastern Illinois University 3.61 Jr. Accounting
IF Tim Tawa Stanford University 3.52 Sr. Communication
IF Hunter Wells Louisiana Tech University 3.38 / 3.55 Gr. Supply Chain Management (UG) / MBA (G)
OF Brock Jones Stanford University 3.73 So. Undeclared
OF Zach Kokoska Kansas State University 3.85 Sr. Communication Studies
OF Andrew MacNeil (2) Stetson University 4.00 / 4.00 Gr. Microbiology (UG) / MBA (G)
DH Mike Monahan Eastern Michigan University 3.74 Sr. Business Management
THIRD TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Matt Bridges East Carolina University 3.80 / 4.00 Gr. Public Health Studies (UG) / MBA (G)
P Jonathan Fincher Louisiana Tech University 3.89 Sr. Biology
C Mike Caruso Fairfield University 3.64 Sr. Public Health
IF Garett Delano Mercer University 3.30 / 3.63 Gr. Economics (UG) / MBA (G)
IF Brett Harris Gonzaga University 3.49 Sr. Special Education
IF Zach Stevens U.S. Naval Academy 3.84 Jr. Operations Research
IF RJ Yeager Mercer University 3.73 / 3.50 Gr. Business Admin. (UG) / MBA (G)
OF Drew Ashley Indiana University 3.97 Sr. Biology
OF Joe Lomuscio (3) Brown University 4.00 Sr. Economics
DH Devin Buckner USC Upstate 3.54 Sr. Marketing
(1) = 2020 2nd team Academic All-America®
(2) = 2020 3rd team Academic All-America®
(3) = 2019 2nd team Academic All-America®
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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