Official ABCA release (.pdf)
Download Free Acrobat Reader

June 19, 2006

OMAHA, Neb. - Ohio senior Anthony Gressick became just the third player in Ohio history to be a two-time All-American when he earned third-team status from the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings in an announcement today from the site of the 2006 College World Series.

Gressick joins Dick Murphy (1953, 54) and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt (1970, 71) as the only players in Ohio history to earn All-America status twice during their collegiate careers. Also a standout pitcher in a Bobcat uniform, Gressick has been honored as a designated hitter both times.

The selection of Gressick, who was a third-team pick following his sophomore campaign in 2004, marks an unprecedented sixth year in a row that Ohio has had an All-American. Ryan Kyes (2001), Mike Arbinger (2002), Adam Fox (2003) and Ben Crabtree (2005) have also earned recent distinction. Gressick's selection marks the 27th time that an Ohio player has earned All-America status and the eighth time under current head coach Joe Carbone.

The honor draws to a close a list of postseason awards that the Bobcat standout has collected. Earlier this month he became just the second player in Ohio history to earn three-straight All-Mideast Region selections and in May he was named to the All-Mid-American Conference First Team for the third year in a row.

Gressick was one of five players from the Mideast Region to be named All-American. Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Mike Goetz earned first-team All-America honors as an outfielder, while Ohio State junior third baseman Ronnie Bourquin and Ball State senior first baseman Brad Miller were named to the second team. Kent State junior shortstop Emmanuel Burriss was recognized as an ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-American along with Gressick.

Gressick is the only one of the five from the Mideast Region to be a two-time All-America honoree.

A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Gressick was taken in the 26th Round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Cincinnati. He is now with the Billings (Mont.) Mustangs, the Reds affiliate in the Pioneer Rookie League.

Houston's Brad Lincoln was named the 2006 ABCA/Rawlings Division I Player of the Year. The ABCA National Coach of the Year will be the coach of the national championship team.

College World Series participant Cal State-Fullerton led the ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team with two representatives while five of the 15 members on the first team are currently competing at the CWS. CSF and Clemson, the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, led all Division I programs with three total representatives.

The ABCA All-America Teams are collegiate baseball's oldest selections, dating to 1949. All Division I coaches have the opportunity to nominate and vote on these selections, which are initially compiled into eight All-Region teams. These teams are then finalized as the first, second and third All-America teams by the ABCA's NCAA Division I All-America and Coach of the Year Committee, chaired by Pat McMahon of the University of Florida. This year, the committee selected 58 players as 2006 ABCA All-Americans.

The 13 All-Mideast Region First Team honorees released earlier this month were eligible to earn ABCA/Rawlings All-America status. Carbone is the Mideast Region All-America Committee representative.