June 27, 2007

Contact: Brian McCann

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seven Viking student-athletes from four different sports have earned a spot on one of the 2007 Horizon League All-Academic teams for the spring sports, which was released by the league office on Wednesday (June 27).

Representing Cleveland State on the teams are baseball players Michael Babin (Medina, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) and John Westra (Sturgis, MI), softball standouts Sarah Milosek (Brighton, MI) and Michele Penney (Ravenna, OH/Crestwood), men's tennis regulars Rob West (Guernsey, United Kingdom) and Steven Wipprecht (Middletown, OH/Lakota East) and men's golfer Ben Grandy (Southgate, MI/Gabriel Richard).

The award marks the third consecutive year that both Grandy and West received the honor while Milosek, Penney and Westra are each repeat selections.

"The academic all-league award highlights all that is good about intercollegiate athletics," CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed said. "It is the mission of the CSU athletic department to not only compete at the highest of levels nationally, but we want to do so while developing the young men and women in our program into adults and prepare them for their life after college."

"The seven individuals honored have done a tremendous job of balancing the demands of athletics and academics and deserve to be honored for their achievements."

Babin, a junior pitcher from Medina, was 1-0 with a 5.46 ERA this season, striking out 26 in 21 relief appearances. He has a 3.74 GPA, majoring in political science.

A four-year regular in the lineup, Grandy played in all 28 rounds during the year, owning a 76.3 stroke average. He had two top 10 finishes during the year, including a season-best seventh place shwoing at Butler. A biology major, he has a 3.77 GPA.

Milosek started all 47 games at first base for the Vikings, hitting a career-high .318 with 13 RBI and 20 runs scored. She led the team with 15 walks and ended her career ranked fourth in CSU history with 957 putouts. A biology major, she owns a 3.80 GPA.

A three-time All-Horizon League selection during her career, Penney earned second team honors this year after hitting .297 with seven home runs and 47 RBI. She started every game in the outfield this season, ending her career ranked second in school history in RBIs (99), third in both home runs (16) and doubles (33) , fourth in both hits (166) and runs scored (94) and 10th in batting average (.301). She owns a 3.83 GPA, majoring in anthropology.

Just a sophomore, West notched a 24-9 singles record this year, playing mostly at No. 5 and 6 singles. He was also 16-16 in doubles play, primarily teaming with Wipprecht at No. 3. The psychology major has a 3.74 GPA.

Westra, a starter in centerfield in all 58 games, hit .259 with two homeruns and 23 RBIs. He ranked second on the team in at-bats (224), hits (58), walks (19) and doubles (12) and was third in RBIs. The senior history major owns a 3.74 GPA.

Wipprecht has the highest GPA among the CSU student-athletes, owning a 3.92 average in health sciences. On the court, he owned a 13-20 singles mark, playing mostly at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, and combined with several partners to post an 18-14 doubles record.