May 8, 2008

ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior infielder Hunter Abrams of Millsaps College has been named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI First Team as voted upon by more than 2,000 members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Abrams, one of seven graduating seniors for the Majors, finds his name on the Academic All-District VI team for a second-straight season – the first Millsaps player to do so – after joining former teammate John Pacillo on last year's team. Abrams will be seeking to become just the fourth selection in school history on the Academic All-America team, with former teammate Pacillo earning second team All-America honors in 2007.

The school's career-leader in hits (240), at-bats (664) and sacrifices (27), while ranking third all-time in RBIs (170), fourth in doubles (49) and fourth in total bases (324), Abrams has played the ideal role of a scholar-athlete from the second he stepped on the diamond as a freshman in 2005 for head coach Jim Page's Majors.

A .361 lifetime hitter, the Columbus native is a three-time Academic All-SCAC selection ('08 pending) and two-time SCAC All-Tournament Team and All-SCAC selection. He has also been named to the ABCA All-South Region, ABCA Gold Glove, ABCA All-American and NCAA Central Regional All-Tournament teams during his solid four-year career.

Abrams was also the recipient of the 2008 Archie Lamb Sportsmanship Award, reiterating his positive impact on and off the diamond as a Millsaps scholar-athlete. The Archie Lamb Award is presented annually to a male and female student-athlete who best exemplifies sportsmanship, character and attitude while approaching their teammates, coaches and other respective officials in a positive manner.

The Academic All-District VI team is comprised of student-athletes from schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. As a first team selection for a second-straight year, Abrams will be placed on the ballot for Academic All-America honors which will be announced on Tuesday, May 27.

Prior ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selections:
John Roberts, 1988
Chris McNeal, 1997
John Pacillo, 2007