KU baseball players earn academic honors

Eleven members of the Kansas University baseball program were recognized by the Big 12 Conference as the league office unveiled its 2016 Academic All-Big 12 Baseball Team Thursday.

Four Jayhawks were named as repeat honorees: seniors Hayden Edwards, Tommy Mirabelli, Joe Moroney and Colby Wright. Mirabelli, Moroney and Wright earn first team honors while Edwards was a second team selection.

“I am really proud of the job these guys have done in the classroom,” head coach Ritch Price said. “In the fall, our team posted the highest team GPA (grade-point average) in Kansas baseball history and had the most guys on the honor roll since I have been here.”

Joining Mirabelli, Moroney and Wright on the first team were sophomores Matt McLaughlin and Blake Weiman and junior Marcus Wheeler. There were 57-total first team honorees from around the conference achieving a 3.20-plus GPA.

Junior Joven Afenir, senior Sam Gilbert, senior Ryan Pidhaichuk and sophomore Owen Taylor also earned second team recognition with a GPA of 3.00-3.19.