May 30, 2006
WACO, Texas -- Baylor senior catcher Zach Dillon was named first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Tuesday. Dillon is the fifth student-athlete in Baylor baseball history to earn first-team honors and the first Baylor catcher so honored.
Dillon, who graduated from Baylor in December 2005, was the lone graduate student on the first team. He currently is pursuing his Master of Science degree in sport management. A two-time first-team all-district selection, Dillon became eligible for Academic All-America honors by earning first-team all-district honors.
A product of Dowling High School in Urbandale, Iowa, Dillon finished the regular season as the top hitter in the Big 12 Conference with a .396 batting average. His .421 mark in Big 12 play led the conference and was the highest average by a Baylor player in Big 12 history.
Dillon also leads the Big 12 conference in walks with 51, a total that ranks as the second-best single-season mark in Baylor history and only four shy of Jon Topolski's 1999 school record. His 57 free passes and 129 times reached base safely, and his .504 on base percentage also lead the Big 12.
A 2006 Johnny Bench Award semifinalist, Dillon joins pitcher Pat Combs (1988), first baseman Charlie Carter (1998), pitcher Jason Jennings (1999) and first baseman Ross Bennett (2003) as the only first-team Academic All-America honorees in Baylor history. Jennings also was a third-team selection in 1998, while Topolski earned second-team honors in 1998 and 1999.
Baylor returns to action this weekend at the NCAA Houston Regional, hosted by Rice University at Reckling Park. The third-seeded Bears face second-seeded and 16th-ranked Arizona State in the first round at 8 p.m. CDT.
