A Hope College senior who has been representative of the NCAA Division III scholar-athlete model is being recognized through the Capital One Academic All-American program.
Pitcher Cory Schmidt of Milan, Ohio (Edison HS) has been named a second team baseball Academic All-American through a program sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)
Schmidt was a psychology major who maintained a 3.95 grade point average throughout his college career. He received Phi Beta Kappa academic honors.
He posted a 6-2 record over 10 starts this season for the MIAA co-champion Flying Dutchmen. He was named to the All-MIAA second team.
His career record was 15-5. Over 136 innings pitched he yielded only one home run and compiled a 2.93 earned run average.
He will be attending the University of Toledo College of Medicine. He is the son of Dr. Eric and Dr. Jane Schmidt of Milan, Ohio.
He becomes the sixth Hope baseball player to achieve Academic All-America distinction joining Peter Rink (1981), Randy Cutler (1984 & 1985), Tom Bylsma (1985 & 1986), Mark Kuiper (1994 & 1995) and Mike Meeuwsen (1998).
The program is supported by the NCAA Division II and III governance structures. To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration a student-athletre must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and be nominated by ther athlete's sports information director. The program was initiated in 1952.
The honor has been presented to 44 Hope student athletes eight different sports over the years. Earlier this spring the award was presented to Hope softball player Laura Tjepkema.
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