PEORIA, Ill. ? Five members of the 2005 Bradley Baseball team earned Scholar-Athlete awards from the Missouri Valley Conference, according to an announcement from the league office last week.
Senior catcher/first baseman Brad Canada (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern H.S.) and senior pitcher Brian Spielmann (Janesville, Wis./Craig H.S.) both landed on the 13-player first team, while senior pitcher Derek Goins (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.), senior designated hitter Jon Smith (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) and junior pitcher Collin Walker (Channahon, Ill./Minooka H.S.) all earned honorable mention status.
Last week's announcement was the latest in a long line of awards for Canada, who also earned the league's Dr. Charlotte West Award and a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the Valley last week. Since graduating from Bradley last month with a bachelor's degree in finance and 3.90 grade point average, Canada also has been voted first-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American and the second-team All-MVC utility player. In addition to his success in the classroom, Canada hit .339 this past season and led the Braves with a .455 on-base percentage.
Spielmann, who joined Canada on the 2005 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V first team, was one of five repeat selections on the Valley Baseball Scholar-Athlete first-team. Ranked among the league leaders by averaging 10.14 strikeouts per nine innings this past season, Spielmann posted a third consecutive semester with a 4.0 grade point average during the recently completed spring term. The accounting major boasts a 3.79 cumulative grade point average.
Goins was one of five repeat selections to the 16-player Valley Scholar-Athlete honorable mention squad. After graduating in 2004 with a degree in health science, Goins completed his eligibility this spring while beginning work on his master's degree. Although finishing with a 5-6 record, Goins was second among Bradley's starting pitchers with a 3.39 season earned run average.
A second-year transfer from nearby Illinois Central College, Smith hit .283 during his senior season and he led the team with 25 runs batted in. An elementary education major, Smith boasts a 3.32 cumulative grade point average.
Walker was a first-team all-conference starting pitcher after leading the 2005 Braves staff with a 2.70 earned run average in his 90.0 innings of work. The 6-foot-7 right-hander sports a 3.03 cumulative grade point average and is majoring in secondary education.
Bradley's five honorees were the most among the nine baseball playing members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The criteria for the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete team voting parallels the standards for the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American program administered by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Nominees must have been starters or important reserves with at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.
