Westmont’s Cress named to academic All-America first team

Coby Cress

Westmont's Coby Cress

Westmont’s Coby Cress has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America College Division Baseball Team. Cress, who hails from Waddell, Arizona, was named to this year’s first team after receiving the same honor last year as a member of the third team.

Sponsored by Capital One Financial Corporation, the competitive award is administered by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The prestigious award is given to only 33 college division recipients each year. Since its inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student athletes in the NAIA and NCAA championship sports.

Cress hit .368 for the Warriors in 2012, driving in 39 RBIs while powering out seven home runs. As a senior captain, Cress helped lead the Warriors to a 24-27-1 record and their first postseason appearance in 15 years. Westmont went 2-2 in the Golden State Athletic Conference playoffs reaching the ninth game in the double-elimination tournament.

In the classroom, Cress earned a 3.95 GPA as an economics and business major. He was also named the Westmont Golden Eagle Award recipient for baseball, which recognizes athletes for their accomplishments athletically, academically, spiritually and socially. Cress is also a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a three-time GSAC Scholar-Athlete.

Over his three-year playing career at Westmont, Cress posted a batting average of .339, eleventh best in Warrior history. His 96 runs scored ranks at number seven and 181 hits ranks at number six.