PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley's 2007 baseball season came to an end in May, but the awards continue to trickle in for freshman pitching star Brad Altbach (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North H.S.), who has been named a first-team All-American by the Jewish Sports Review.  Published in the July/August issue of the Jewish Sports Review, the 2007 College Baseball (D-1) All-America first team includes 18 student-athletes and Altbach was one of four relief pitchers on the squad.

The Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, Altbach also earned honorable mention All-MVC status after leading the Bradley pitching staff with a 7-2 record and tying the school's single-season record with five saves.  The 6-foot-2 right-hander posted a 2.66 earned run average and the opposition managed only a .238 batting average against him.  At one point during Bradley's midseason hot streak, Altbach closed out five straight Valley games, helping the Braves to a 32-21 overall record and a third-place finish in the MVC regular-season race and the 2007 State Farm MVC Tournament.

The Jewish Sports Review honor is the second All-America award for Altbach this season.  In June he was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team.  Altbach's latest honor also marks the second consecutive year the Braves have boasted a Jewish Sports Review first-team All-American in baseball.  Former infielder Jason Newburger, who served as a student assistant coach for the 2007 Braves, was the first-team All-American at third base for the 2006 season.