Ben Morrison

Western Kentucky baseball’s Ben Morrison earned 2018 College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District II Team honors, it was announced Thursday. Hilltoppers have made 12 appearances among all-district honorees since 2005.

CoSIDA academic nominees must carry at least a 3.3 grade point average.

On the mound, Morrison has a 1.66 ERA in 21 2/3 innings in Conference USA action, with a 3-2 record and three saves in nine appearances. In those 21 2/3 frames, he has allowed 15 hits for a .188 batting average against.

For the season overall, the Bowling Green native and former Bowling Green High School standout has a 2.67 ERA across 30 1/3 innings with a career-high seven saves.

Morrison has a 23-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in C-USA play and a 34-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio overall, ranking second among league relievers in both. He has struck out at least a pair in 11 of his past 12 appearances, and boasts scoreless outings in 12-of-17 outings overall.

In the classroom, Morrison has a perfect 4.0 GPA studying biology (pre-med) with triple minors in biophysics, chemistry and entrepreneurship. He is also a member of the WKU Honors College and a part of the WKU Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team.

A redshirt senior in athletic standing, Morrison has made WKU President’s List all nine – and soon to be 10 – semesters on campus and has earned C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal every season.

Morrison is set to graduate this weekend and plans to head to the University of Kentucky for medical school in the fall. To prepare for a career in medicine, he volunteers at The Medical Center.

With all-district honors, Morrison is eligible for the 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, which will be announced in June.

WKU is looking for its 11th All-American. Kaleb Duckworth earned third-team honors in both 2016 and 2017.

The Hilltoppers host Florida International this weekend at Nick Denes Field for a three-game C-USA series.

The Friday contest begins at noon, with the Saturday and Sunday start times at 1 p.m. Morrison and the nine other WKU seniors will be recognized before the series finale, with ceremonies set to begin at 12:25 p.m.{&end}