Illinois State senior Nate Whitney has done it all for the Illinois State baseball team this spring. The outfielder from Bloomington, Ill., leads the Redbirds in hits, average, doubles and total bases. While Whitney has been recognized throughout the season for his solid play, he has now been recognized for his actions off the field, as he was named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Division V All-Academic Baseball Team.
Whitney came to Illinois State in the fall of 2002, after two years at Kankakee Community College. During the 2003 season, he led the team with a .339 average and was named honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Conference. Whitney carries a 3.67 GPA, while majoring in exercise science at Illinois State.
It feels great to be recognized for the work Ive done in the classroom by being named to the Division V All-Academic team, said Whitney. Coach (Jim Brownlee) has always told us that success in the classroom will lead to success on the field and Id have to agree with that.
Theres nothing better than when a student-athlete achieves at both aspects of college life and Nate has done both to the fullest, said head coach Jim Brownlee. We do take pride in winning baseball games, but we also like our guys to take even more pride in succeeding in the classroom and in life. Nate has been a great example for others to follow.
Whitney will now represent Illinois State as a candidate on the national ballot for the CoSIDA Academic All-American team later this summer.
