Tiffin, Ohio – May 6, 2011 – The Heidelberg University baseball team has placed five student-athletes on the Capital One Academic All-District Team in 2011. Earing first team honors was seniors Jason Lash (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) and Andrew Buelow (Marysville, Mich. / Marysville), while seniors Andy Lowe (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll), Nathan James (Rockport, Ind. / South Spencer) and Alex Monroe (Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Kenston) were second team honorees.
The five selections are the most in the history of the program, topping its four from a season ago. It is the third straight year Lash has been selected, while Buelow and Lowe are repeat honorees from last year. Heidelberg led the entire division with its five honorees, and was one of five Ohio Athletic Conference institutions represented. District 4 is comprised of NCAA Division II, III and NAIA institutions from the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
To be eligible for academic district honors one must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or important reserve in at least his sophomore season. The award is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA).
Lash will graduate with a degree in chemistry and a minor in biology. He has also earned a spot on the Academic All-OAC team twice. On the field, Lash was a 2010 All-American and has earned All-Mideast Region honors every year, along being named to the OAC First Team every season. In 2011 he leads the team with 16 doubles, while standing second in batting average (.379), hits (53) and home runs (3). He is third on the team with 36 runs scored.
Buelow is a health and physical education and sports management major. Over the last four years Buelow has battled back from adversity and has been a mainstay in the outfield, patrolling center field for the last two seasons. He has saved his best season for last, recording career-bests in nearly every statistical category. At the plate this season, Buelow is batting .333 with 38 hits in 114 at bats. He has knocked in 19 runs, while scoring 22 of his own.
Lowe is studying accounting with a minor in finance. His academic all-district honors join his Academic All-OAC selection from a season ago. He has been named an All-American the last two years, as well as the OAC’s Kent Tekulve Pitcher of the Year. Lowe is a three-time All-OAC and all-region honoree and set a new Heidelberg single season record for saves every year and overtook the career record as a junior. In his final season he became the NCAA Division III career saves record holder. This season he has made 26 appearances on the mound and boasts a 1.98 earned run average with 13 saves and a 4-1 record. He has struck out 45 batters in the process.
James is an athletic training major and is no stranger to academic success. In 2011 he won the inaugural NCAA Elite 88 Award, which honors the student-athlete with the highest gpa of the teams competing at each of the NCAA’s 88 championships. He is also a two-time Academic All-OAC honoree. On the mound this season James leads the pitching staff with a 1.53 earned run average. He is second with a 5-1 record and fourth with 39 strike outs.
An accounting major, with minors in economics and finance, Monroe’s first academic all-district honor joins his Academic All-OAC selection as a junior. Last year he helped guide the Berg through the OAC Tournament and the Mideast Regional and earned a spot on the all-tournament teams for his efforts. For the year, Monroe leads the team with 21 hit by pitches, while batting .353 with 48 hits and 42 runs scored. He has also knocked in 23 runs.
Heidelberg, ranked ninth in the nation according to D3Baseball.com, stands at 30-8 overall and 12-4 in the OAC. It is the fourth straight season, seventh overall, that the Berg has amassed 30 wins. Tomorrow Heidelberg closes out its regular season with the University of Mount Union for senior day at Peaceful Valley. Heidelberg has clinched a spot in the four-team OAC Tournament set to begin May 12 at Marietta College.