Western Kentucky baseball’s Ben Morrison earned 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team honors, it was announced Thursday.

This news came on the heels of Morrison being selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 551st overall pick in the 10th round of the 2018 MLB Draft on Tuesday.

The Bowling Green native was the 55th player drafted in WKU program history, and will become the 107th Hilltopper player to sign a professional contract upon inking his deal with Los Angeles.

CoSIDA Academic nominees must be a starter or significant contributor to the team while carrying at least a 3.3 grade point average.

In his senior season, Morrison had a 1.29 ERA with 31 strikeouts across 28 innings in C-USA action, allowing only 20 hits for a .189 batting average against. 

The right-handed relief pitcher’s 2.21 ERA overall across 36 2/3 frames ranks second among Hilltopper pitchers (with 35-plus innings) dating back to at least 2005. He also had a career-high seven saves, as he earned a spot on the 2018 All-Conference USA Second Team as a reliever.

Morrison was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District II and Conference USA All-Academic Team selection in 2018.

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

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

Morrison has been accepted to the University of Kentucky for medical school, and has volunteered at The Medical Center at Bowling Green to prepare for a potential career in medicine.

Overall, Morrison is one of 33 in Division I to receive a spot on the First, Second or Third Team squads, and among those only one of three C-USA athletes – Nick Sandlin of Southern Miss, First Team; Aaron Aucker of Middle Tennessee, Third Team – to be honored.

He is one of three Biology majors in the group and one of 11 with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

It was the ninth time a Hilltopper has garnered the merit since 2009, while Morrison becomes only the second athlete to make the Second Team.

A Hilltopper has now been named a CoSIDA Academic All-American in four of the past five years, as outfielder Kaleb Duckworth had earned a spot on the Third Team in each of the past two seasons and lefty Ian Thompkins was a First Team selection in 2014.