Bentley Baseball Receives Team Academic Excellence Award from ABCA
WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University baseball team earned a Team Academic Excellence Award from the American Baseball Coaches Association for its performance in the classroom during the 2019-20 academic year. It's the fifth straight year that coach Bob DeFelice's Falcons have been honored.
The award recognizes high school and college programs that posted a grade point average over 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Fifty-five NCAA Division II baseball teams were recognized with Bentley the only one from the Northeast-10.
Bentley is one of only 11 Division II programs recognized each year since the award's inception in 2016.
DeFelice's team, which had its season cut short by the pandemic, achieved a 3.20 GPA during the year. Of the 27 players who saw game action, 19 earned at least a 3.0 with nine of those posting at least a 3.30.
"In light of the challenges faced by so many programs across the country, we are humbled to be able to honor a record number of teams for their outstanding academic achievements," said ABCA Executive Director Craig Keilitz. "It is a testament to the leadership of our member coaches and the commitment of their student-athletes who persevered during an unprecedented academic year."