FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University senior center fielder Buddy Sosnoskie has been named to a pair of post-season squads for his work on the field and in the classroom.

The Statesville, N.C., native has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District III Baseball Team and to the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team.

Sosnoskie has compiled a 3.38 grade point average as a marketing major. A first-team selection in the Capital One Academic process, he now becomes eligible to earn Academic All-American honors, with voting to be done in the near future.

Off the field, Sosnoskie is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the national college athlete honor society; was named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll in 2011; and has twice been selected to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll.

On the diamond, he led FMU with a .391 average, 56 runs batted in, and a .444 on-base percentage. He set team single-season records for hits (92) and doubles (25). He shared the team lead in runs scored (51), while also hitting a pair of home runs and stealing nine bases. He finished the year with a 12-game hitting streak, compiled 27 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBIs games, and reached base safely in 53 of 58 games.

Sosnoskie helped lead Francis Marion to a 40-18 record, a national Top-10 ranking, and a fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament – where the Patriots reached the regional title game for the third consecutive season.

In both his seasons in Florence, Sosnoskie garnered All-Conference and All-Region accolades.

To be eligible for both academic programs, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings.

District 3 Winners                                                                               

NCAA Division II                        School                                     Yr.           Hometown                               GPA         Major                                      

Pitcher     Taylor Rakes            TUSCULUM COLLEGE        Jr.            Norcross, Ga.                         3.88         Business & Economics

Pitcher     Mario Rojas              NEWBERRY COLLEGE       Jr.            Miami, Fla.                               3.81         Business Administration

Pitcher     Thomas McLeod      USC AIKEN                            Sr.           Chapin, S.C.                            3.70         Exercise and Sports Science

Catcher   Cody Coffman           TUSCULUM COLLEGE       Sr.           Cape Coral, Fla.                      3.59         Physical Therapy

Infield       Jacob Karr                 WINGATE UNIVERSITY       Sr.           Richmond, Va.                         3.68         Accounting

Infield       Eitan Maoz                 UNC PEMBROKE                 Sr.           Ottawa, Ontario, Canada       3.87         Exercise & Sports Science

Infield       Andy Vogel                 NEWBERRY COLLEGE       Jr.            Marietta, Ga.                            3.81         Business Administration

Infield       Michael Barnhill        ARMSTRONG ATL. ST. U.    Jr.            Lake Forest, Calif.                  3.47         Liberal Studies

Infield       Devon Hellett            FLAGLER COLLEGE             Sr.           Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.        3.70         Business Administration

Infield       Brett Underwood      CATAWBA COLLEGE             Sr.           Greensboro, N.C.                   3.57         Communications

Outfield    Buddy Sosnoskie     FRANCIS MARION UNIV.      Sr.           Statesville, N.C.                       3.38         Marketing

Outfield    Bryant Walker            KING COLLEGE (TN)            Sr.           Knoxville, Tenn.                        4.00         Physics

Outfield    Josh Haley                 UNC PEMBROKE                  Sr.           Jackson Springs, N.C.           3.50         Exercise & Sports Science

Outfield    Cody Powell               ARMSTRONG ATL. ST. U.     So.          Locust Grove, Ga.                   3.34         Rehabilitation Sciences

Outfield    Antonio Callaway       MOUNT OLIVE COLLEGE    Sr.           Lawrenceville, Ga.                  3.64         Business Mgt/Human Res M

DH           Clayton Miller               ARMSTRONG ATL. ST. U.     So.           Augusta, Ga.                           3.37         Rehabilitation Sciences

#124/5-28-12