Bradley University Athletics

Valley Baseball Scholar-Athletes

DJ Gasso and Nathan Stong earn MVC Scholar-Athlete honorable mention

BradleyBraves.com

2016 MVC Baseball Scholar-Athlete Announcement

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications Baseball 6/14/2016 10:45:00 AM

ST. LOUIS - For the second consecutive year, Bradley placed multiple players on the Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Scholar-Athlete Team as sophomore second baseman DJ Gasso (Norman, OK/Norman North H.S.) and junior pitcher Nathan Stong (Andover, MN/Andover H.S.) both received honorable mention recognition from a league-wide vote of the baseball sports information contacts.

The criteria for the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team voting parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for Academic All-America voting. Nominees must be starters or important reserves, with at least a 3.20 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.

A first-year transfer from Hutcinson C.C., Gasso sports a 3.88 cumulative grade point average and earned a spot on the Bradley Athletic Director's Honor Roll in each of his first two semesters on The Hilltop as he pursues his degree in sports communication. Moving into the starting lineup midway through the season, Gasso hit .299 overall and finished second on the team with a .275 batting average in conference play. He also hit .429 (6-14) with a .500 on-base percentage in Bradley's four games in the 2016 MVC Baseball Championship. In four games against Wichita State this year, Gasso was 9-for-14 (.643) with two doubles, a walk and two sacrifice bunts.

A fourth-year junior, Stong boasts a 3.75 cumulative GPA and is pursuing his business degree with an emphasis in finance. A qualifier for the Bradley Athletic Director's Honor Roll in each of his first eight semesters, Stong also received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award in 2013 and 2014 and has appeared on the MVC Honor Roll in each of his first three years. On the mound, Stong led the Braves with 26 pitching appearances in 2016, all out of the bullpen, the second-most appearances in a season in Bradley history. Stong posted a 2-0 record with two saves and he recorded 41 strikeouts against just four walks in his 41.0 innings pitched in 2016.

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Players Mentioned

#6 DJ Gasso: IF; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#41 Nathan Stong: RHP/UTL; 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#6 DJ Gasso
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: IF

#41 Nathan Stong
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Junior; L/R
: RHP/UTL

Valley Baseball Scholar-Athletes

DJ Gasso and Nathan Stong earn MVC Scholar-Athlete honorable mention

Players Mentioned

#6 DJ Gasso

#41 Nathan Stong

Players Mentioned

#6 DJ Gasso

#41 Nathan Stong