By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University shortstop Tyler Janitz (Sr., Modesto, CA/Joseph A. Gregori HS) has been selected First Team Google Cloud NCAA Division III Academic All-District VIII in baseball, as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Janitz and other First Team Academic All-District selections are eligible to be chosen for the Google Cloud NCAA Division III Academic All-America Team, which will be announced on June 4.
A total of 13 student-athletes were named to the Academic All-District VIII Team. Janitz was one of four student-athletes chosen from the Northwest Conference.
"Tyler worked tirelessly on the field and in the classroom," Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick said. "His desire to be great is the major reason for his success."
CoSIDA District VIII includes colleges and universities in the western United States. Players nominated for the Google Cloud All-District Team were starters or key reserves with cumulative grade point averages of 3.3 or higher (4.0 scale). Each nominated player was at their current college or university for at least one academic year.
Willamette concluded the year with a 19-16 overall record for the Bearcats' sixth consecutive winning season. The Bearcats have been .500 or better in 10 of the last 12 years. Willamette was 14-10 in the Northwest Conference this spring.
First Team Google Cloud NCAA Division III Academic All-District VIII
Janitz received Academic All-District VIII honors for the first time. He is graduating this spring as a Environmental Science major and a Pre-Medicine student with a minor in Chemistry. He began the spring semester with a 3.73 cumulative grade point average. He was recently named Second Team All-NWC at shortstop for the 2019 season, after earning Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition in 2018.
This year, Janitz tied for third on the team with a .321 batting average. He was the only Bearcat to play in all 35 games and he made 34 starts. He scored 28 runs, walked 23 times and registered 16 RBIs. He achieved a .423 on-base percentage. He hit five doubles and one triple, while providing six sacrifice bunts and one sacrifice fly.
He led this year's team with 118 assists and also supplied 40 putouts. He led Willamette by participating in 17 of the team's 27 double plays on defense.
In 2018, his .313 batting average ranked third on the team. He recorded 21 runs, 21 walks and 21 RBIs. He belted a grand slam home run in Willamette's 13-4 win over Concordia University (Texas) during the NCAA Spokane Regional. He tied for 18th in NCAA Division III with 10 sacrifice bunts. He was 7 for 10 on stolen bases. He topped the WU defensive chart with 129 assists.
As a four-year player at Willamette, Janitz competed in 147 games with 144 starts. He finished second all-time at WU with 462 career assists and was fourth with 67 double plays. He also provided 202 putouts. On offense, he registered a .277 career batting average with 83 runs and 61 RBIs. He hit 16 doubles, one triple and two home runs. He finished sixth all-time at WU with 80 walks. He was 23 of 26 on stolen bases.