Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics

• 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-American (3rd Team)

After achieving excellence in the classroom and on the diamond, Southeastern Louisiana senior pitcher Corey Gaconi was named to the 2019 Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I Baseball Team, which was released on Thursday.
 
The Lion ace, who hails from Metairie, Louisiana, was a third team selection. Gaconi, a three-time All-Southland Conference selection, graduated last month with a 3.925 cumulative grade point average as a marketing major.
 
Gaconi's recognition marks the fourth straight year at least one student-athlete has been named an Academic All-American. He is the third Lion baseball player to earn the honor, joining former teammate Jameson Fisher (2016), as well as Josh Cryer (2011).
 
Gaconi established himself early on as a dominant Friday night performer in his senior campaign on the way to earning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year and first team All-Southland notice. The efficient right-hander was twice named Pitcher of the Week by both the Southland and the LSWA.
 
In his final season with the Lions, Gaconi finished the year with a 7-3 record and a 2.57 earned run average, holding opponents to a .244 batting average and striking out 95 in 108.2 innings of work. Gaconi's control was his greatest asset, as he only walked 11 batters on the season, ranking among the Division I national leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.64, 4th) and walks allowed per nine innings (0.91, 5th).
 
The Brother Martin High School alum was just as impressive off the field. At the inaugural Lion Choice Awards in April, Gaconi was honored as the graduating SLU male student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average. He has twice been named to the Southland All-Academic team and is a three-time member of the Southland Academic Honor Roll.
 
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, student-athletes must carry a 3.3 cumulative GPA or higher, be in at least their second year at their current institution and earn first team Academic All-District recognition.

The Southland Conference claimed two of the six pitching spots on the Academic All-America squad. Gaconi was joined by fellow senior Bryan King of McNeese, who was a second team selection.