USI’s McNew named CSC Academic All-American

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Southern Indiana catcher/utility player Lucas McNew and Morehead State graduate pitcher John Bakke has been honored by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) academic awards program as a third-team Academic All-America.

The duo are the 311th and 312th OVC student-athletes to earn Academic All-America honors since the program began in the 1970s, and the 55th and 56th all-time OVC baseball selection, the most of any sport.

The long-running program honors student-athletes, and this year the criteria was raised to include student-athletes who excel on the court and who have maintained at least a 3.50 grade point average, up from the original 3.3 GPA criteria.

McNew had a 4.00 GPA in management and has a 3.81 GPA in business administration. On the field he earned second-team All-OVC honors as a utility player. He hit .310 with 65 hits, 44 runs, 11 doubles, 5 home runs and 44 RBI in 55 games.

Bakke, who also earned third-team honors a year ago, compiled a 4.0 GPA in sports management. On the mound this season he appeared in 18 games, making 10 starts. Bakke tallied a 6-3 record and struck out 60 batters in 64.1 innings of work. He also had a pair of saves, moving his career total to 17, which tied the school record. His performance on the mound helped the Eagles win the 2023 OVC Regular Season Championship.