EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville baseball players Jared Baehl and Trentt Copeland earned Missouri Valley Conference First-Team Scholar Athlete honors as voted on by the league's baseball sports information directors and announced by the Missouri Valley Conference office today.

Baehl, who was named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-District Team last month, hit .300 in his senior season and ranked ninth in the country, averaging 0.16 triples per game with six on the year. Baehl recorded nine multi-RBI and 18 multi-hit games this season, including three hits in UE’s first game of the State Farm MVC Tournament versus Wichita State and led UE to wins over Indiana State (5/7) and Creighton (5/15) with two hits and three RBI in each contest. The native of Poseyville, Ind. hit a home run versus Arkansas State (2/25) and finished a home run shy of the cycle at St. Louis (3/30). In the classroom, the senior carried a 3.32 cumulative grade-point average in management and was named the Prairie Farms MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week on April 6.

Copeland was a two-time pick for the Prairie Farms MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week this season. Copeland hit .365 in MVC games and .308 on the season, leading the team with a .453 on-base percentage in Valley games. The Guelph, Ontario native recorded 18 multi-hit games and 17 doubles and reached base in every MVC game on the schedule. At second base, Copeland had a hand in 36 double plays, leading UE to a 17^th national rank in double plays per game (1.09) and recorded a Valley-high nine assists versus Michigan State (3/19). The junior also made four starts on the mound and earned the win in his collegiate pitching debut, throwing five scoreless innings, giving up two hits, and striking out three at UT-Martin (3/1). Copeland owns a 3,69 cumulative GPA in management.

The criteria for the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team voting parallels the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) standards for Academic All-America voting.  Nominees must be starters or important reserves, with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average.  Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.

Full List of Baseball MVC Scholar-Athletes