Baseball players Joe Corfman and Ben Hammer, both juniors, have been named to the 2011 Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team.
Corfman, left, and Hammer
The 23-member team was voted on by the league’s Faculty Athletic Representatives from among a list of student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
Corfman, a marketing and finance major, possesses a 3.709 GPA. He started 47 of 48 games this spring, hitting .266 with 27 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 22 RBI and a team-high 13 stolen bases. Tabbed as one of the most underrated hitters in the MAC according to collegebaseballinsider.com 2011 Season Preview, he hit safely in 32 contests, including 14 multi-hit and four multi-RBI efforts.
Hammer, an exercise science major, holds a 3.881 GPA. The 2011 second-team All-MAC honoree batted a team-high .330 with 26 runs scored, a squad-best 10 two-base hits, one triple, one round-tripper, 27 RBI and 10 thefts this spring. He started 53 games in center field and hit safely in 39 contests, including a team-high 21 multi-hit and a squad-best six multi-RBI efforts. The 2011 first-team academic all-district recipient ranked eighth in the MAC in on-base percentage (.416) and 10th in batting average after missing the 2010 campaign due to Tommy John surgery.
Corfman and Hammer helped lead the 2011 Rockets to a 26-29 overall record and a 15-12 mark in the MAC West Division, advancing to the league tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
