Aucker named to Google Cloud Academic All-America Team

First Blue Raider baseball player to receive honor

MURFREESBORO, Tenn - Middle Tennessee baseball standout Aaron Aucker turned in a career year on the diamond in 2018, and the well-rounded student-athlete was equally sound in the classroom.

Aucker was named to the Division I third team Google Cloud Academic All-America team Thursday, becoming the first Blue Raider baseball player ever to be named an Academic All-American by CoSIDA.

"It's pretty awesome," Aucker said upon learning of his historic honor. "It is also amazing to be the first at anything but, to me, especially something like this because we have put so much emphasis on academics in the baseball program at Middle Tennessee. It is an honor to represent MTSU in this manner."

Aucker was one of three players to earn such accolades, joining first-team selection Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss; and second-team selection Ben Morrison, WKU.

Aucker sported a 3.44 grade point average majoring in biology. An aspiring orthodontist, Aucker has already completed 350 hours of working and shadowing at O'Rourke Orthodontics in Knoxville where he began working toward his future career.

The Knoxville, Tenn., native also was named to the C-USA All-Academic team in 2018, and he was Middle Tennessee Male co-Student-Athlete of the Year. On the field, Aucker was also outstanding. The senior first baseman was a preseason All-American and lived up to the billing.

Aucker was among the Top 100 nationally for RBI (8^th, 71), home runs (58^th, 14), total bases (59^th, 132), slugging percentage (60^th, .623), doubles (68^th, 18), and hit by pitch (77^th, 14). He was also among C-USA leaders for RBI (1^st, 71), doubles (4^th, 18), total bases (5^th, 132), home runs (3^rd, 14), slugging percentage (3^rd, .623), batting average (13^th, .340) and on-base percentage (13^th, .418).

"It was great to finish up strong and stay healthy for my senior season," Aucker said. "I appreciate my coaches for working with me and providing me with lifelong opportunities."

Aucker turned in 21 multi-hit games and led the team with 19 multi-RBI games on his way to All C-USA honors for the second straight season.