PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley senior pitcher Eitan Barbalat (Thornhill, Ontario/Westmount Collegiate Institute) has earned a repeat spot on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V Baseball Team and is once again eligible for Academic All-America consideration, according to an announcement by the College Sports Information Directors of America Thursday.

Barbalat was a second-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America in 2007 and is one of 10 national finalists for the baseball version of the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.  Boasting a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average, Barbalat received his bachelor's degree in cell and molecular biology Wednesday in a special ceremony with Bradley University President Joanne K. Glasser and has been accepted into the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

On the diamond, Barbalat has successfully recovered from a blood clot that formed in his right shoulder during the 2006 season and the subsequent surgery to prevent further clots.  He boasts a 4-3 record, two saves and a 3.10 earned run average the last two seasons.  Heading into this weekend's Missouri Valley Conference series versus UNI, Barbalat is 3-1 with a save and a 4.35 ERA in 33.0 innings.

Barbalat started a busy awards week by being recognized as one of three honorees for the 2008 Megan C. Fong Inspiration Award during the Bradley athletic department's annual awards ceremony.  He also was recognized as one of three finalists for the 2008 Bradley University Watonga Award, which is the most prestigious award presented by Bradley University to a student-athlete and involves academic success, athletic success and community service.