AUSTIN, Texas – Northeastern State's Blake Freeman and Brayden Rodden received additional national honors for the baseball program.  Wednesday, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selected the pair as NCAA Division II Academic All-America. 

A total of 35 student-athletes were honored among 26 programs nationally.  Northeastern State is one of five to have multiple Academic All-America selections and the only program out of the MIAA to do this season in baseball.   

Freeman became the fourth student-athlete from Northeastern State to garner a First Team Academic All-America selection.  He is also one of four in the department's history to earn an Academic All-America honor from CoSIDA and an All-American award from a Coaches or Media organization. 

Freeman was a Third Team All-America selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), holding a team-best .400 batting average and was also tops in on-base percentage at .479.  The Wichita, Kansas native drove in 42 runs and led NSU in hits (92), doubles (19), and stolen bases (27).  Freeman, who will be a senior in 2023, is already the program's career leader in both hits and doubles.

Rodden completed his senior season at NSU with a .338 batting average with 12 home runs and 14 doubles.  The native of Oktaha, Okla., was an MIAA First Team selection starting 40 games at catcher and finishing second to Freeman with 24 multi-hit games. 

The pair are the first CoSIDA Academic All-America selections for the NSU Baseball program with the department holding 18 overall.  Northeastern State finished the 2021-22 academic year with four selections, its highest total in program history.  Madison Wrather (Football) and Ryan McCully (Men's Soccer) were tabbed in the fall semester. 

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution, and be nominated by his/her sports information director.