CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas had a league-high five student-athletes named Thursday to the 2020 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic teams.

    UCA had two first-team selections and three second-team choices. The first-team selections were graduate student Christian Brasher and senior pitcher Brad Verel. On the second team were senior third baseman/catcher Beau Orlando, junior pitcher Gavin Stone and senior pitcher Conner Williams.

    Brasher, from Fort Smith, Ark., has a 4.0 grade-point average while pursuing his Master of Business Administration. He was an automatic selection after garnering CoSIDA Academic All-District honors last week. He hit .300 in eight games in UCA's virus-shortened 2020 season.

    Verel, a left-handed relief pitcher from Broken Arrow, Okla., has a 3.94 GPA in exercise science. He made a team-high nine appearances out of the bullpen and had a 1-1 record with 21 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.

    Orlando, from Houston, Texas, started all 16 games for the Bears and was UCA's second-leading hitter at .392 and had the second-most hits (20) and runs scored (11). His .515 slugging percentage led the SLC in 2020.

    Stone, from Lake City, Ark., tossed just the third no-hitter in school history against Southeastern Louisiana on March 6. He had a 3-1 record with a 1.30 earned-run average, including 31 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. He ranked in the top five in the SLC in every pitching category.

    Williams, from Conway, Ark., was the top closer in the SLC this season with a league-best six saves in eight appearances and a 0.69 ERA. Williams struck out 21 batters and walked just 2 in 13 innings.

    Southland All-Academic teams are voted on by the head coach, sports information director and academic staff member from each member school. Student-athletes must possess a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA and have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution to qualify. Nominees who were CoSIDA Academic All-District selections are automatically named Southland All-Academic.
 

2020 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic First Team

Name		School		Cl.		GPA		Major
Christian Brasher^		Central Arkansas		Gr.		4.00		MBA
Itchy Burts3		Texas A&M-Corpus Christi		Sr.		3.69		Mechanical Engineering
Colton Cowser		Sam Houston State		So.		3.66		Construction Management
Peyton Davis		Northwestern State		Sr.		3.83		Business Administration
Trent Franson		Houston Baptist		Sr.		3.94		Finance
Kyle Gruller^		Houston Baptist		Sr.		3.94		Interdisciplinary Studies
Peter Holland		Nicholls		Sr.		3.91		Biology
Jared Martin		Stephen F. Austin		Jr.		3.52		Kinesiology
Clayton Rasbeary		McNeese		Sr.		3.60		Criminal Justice
Ridge Rogers^		UIW		Jr.		3.88		Rehabilitative Sciences
Kyle Swanson^		Northwestern State		Gr.		4.00		Health & Human Performance
Luke Taggart		UIW		Sr.		3.44		Finance
Brad Verel		Central Arkansas		Sr.		3.94		Exercise Science
Kelby Weyler		Lamar		Jr.		3.90		Exercise Science

2020 Southland Conference Baseball All-Academic Second Team

Name		School		Cl.		GPA		Major
Trevor Beard		Texas A&M-Corpus Christi		Sr.		3.71		Communications
Beau Bratton		New Orleans		Sr.		3.45		Biology
Colton Eager		Abilene Christian		Jr.		3.57		Engineering
John Gaddis		Texas A&M-Corpus Christi		Jr.		3.69		Biology
Cole Girouard		Lamar		Sr.		3.67		Finance
Beau Orlando		Central Arkansas		Sr.		3.12		Health Education
Brent Pronger		Houston Baptist		Sr.		4.00		Management
Nick Ray		Southeastern Louisiana		So.		3.41		Engineering Technology
Jack Rogers		Sam Houston State		Jr.		3.25		Entrepreneurship
Dane Simon2		Nicholls		Jr.		3.96		Business Administration
Marshall Skinner		Northwestern State		Sr.		3.38		Business Administration
Gavin Stone2		Central Arkansas		Jr.		3.05		Health Education
Will Warren		Southeastern Louisiana		Jr.		3.29		Kinesiology
Conner Williams		Central Arkansas		Sr.		3.00		Health Education

² Two-time all-academic selection

³ Three-time all-academic selection

^{^} CoSIDA Academic All-District