May 24, 2005

Eight members of the Mizzou baseball team have been named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. That is the most Academic All-Conference selections for the Tigers in school history.

Juniors James Boone and Travis Wendte, senior Cosme Caballero and sophomores Max Scherzer and Nathan Culp were named to the first team, while junior Trevor Helms and sophomores John McKee and Hunter Mense were second team selections.

It is the second honor for Boone and Wendte and the first selections for the remaining six.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and media relations offices, the baseball academic all-league squad consisted of 29 first team members combined with 18 on the second team. First team members include those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must record a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters. All players nominated must have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests, while pitchers are required to have at least one inning pitched per game played by the team or have appeared in 35 percent of their team's total games. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.

Missouri will open play in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Wednesday, taking on Oklahoma at 5 p.m. at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla.