May 8, 2008
University Park, Pa. - Senior outfielder Brian Ernst, one of three captains and one of two fifth-year seniors on this year's team, was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA), it was announced on Thursday. Ernst is finishing his degree in accounting this semester and entered the spring semester with a 3.72 grade point average.
That grade point average is tops on the team this year and has been for the past two years. Ernst won the Shorty Stoner Award last year, which is named after the former Penn State coach and is given to the team member with the highest grade point average. Ernst is also a three-time member of the Academic All-Big Ten team and will likely be a four-time member when this year's team is announced later this month. He has been on the Dean's List every semester from the spring of 2004 through the fall of 2007. Earlier this year, he was also a nominee for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
On the field, the Boyertown, Pa. native has proven to be one of the most consistent performers during his four years on the team. Entering this weekend's series with Iowa, Ernst leads the team in batting average (.343), hits (61), at bats (178), runs (35) and is tied for the team lead in doubles (10). He is also second on the team in total bases with 71 and second in on-base percentage at .404. Last weekend, Ernst moved into third place on the Penn State career hits list and also become just the third player in school history to record 220 career hits. He also moved into second place in career at bats and became just the third player in school history to record at least 700 career at bats. Also a solid fielder, Ernst has committed just two errors in 106 total chances this year for a .981 fielding percentage and for his career, has just eight errors in over 300 career chances for a fielding percentage of .974.
As a member of the first team of District II, Ernst will now be on the ballot for the Academic All-American teams, which will be announced a couple of weeks.