2021 COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT BASEBALL TEAM
CHICAGO, ILL.—Illinois Institute of Technology baseball junior second baseman Brandon Bennitt, and senior first baseman Ted Howell each landed on the 2021 College of Sports Information Directors of America (COSIDA) Academic All-District Baseball Team on Thursday. Howell now has two COSIDA Academic All-District honors under his belt after he achieved the distinction in 2019, while Bennitt made his first trip to the prestigious team.
Howell (mechanical engineering) and Bennitt (computer engineering) each carry 4.0 cumulative grade point averages. To be considered for a spot on the COSIDA Academic All-District Team, a student-athlete must carry a 3.3 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key reserve to their team while making a significant impact athletically.
Howell engineered the Scarlet Hawks offense with 20 doubles, seven home runs, 43 RBI, and a .771 slugging percentage. The Parker, Colorado native finished the season with a .407 (48-of-118) batting average, 34 runs scored, and a .452 on-base percentage. Howell's 20 doubles ranked seventh in NCAA Division III, while his 0.69 doubles per game came in at No. 2 in the country. His game of note occurred in an 18-8 loss to Aurora on April 18, when he went 4-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored in game two. The 2019 season ended with Howell being named to the College of Sports Information Director's of America (COSIDA) Academic All-American Second Team. Howell, a three-time NACC Scholar Athlete, earned a spot on the 2021 All-NACC South Division Team, as well as the 2021 d3baseball.com and ABCA All-Midwest Region Third Teams.
Bennitt registered a team-leading 50 hits (.417 batting average, 50-of-120). The Mokena, Illinois native added 15 doubles, five home runs, 30 RBI, 13 walks, six stolen bases, 39 runs scored, a .683 slugging percentage, and a .463 on-base percentage in 2021. Bennitt went 4-for-6 with four RBI in an 18-12 victory over Concordia Chicago on April 12. His stellar season earned him a spot on the 2021 All-NACC South Division Team, as well as the 2021 d3baseball.com and ABCA All-Midwest Region Second Teams.
Howell and Bennitt are now eligible for a spot on the 2021 COSIDA Academic All-American Baseball Team, set to be released later in the summer.