- Complete Release

MARSHALL, Minn. – Tarleton's Chris Casazza has been named to the 2010 Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II All-America baseball team, earning honorable mention accolades for his performance on the diamond this season.

“We are extremely proud of the recognition Chris has been receiving this year,” Tarleton head coach Bryan Conger said. To be named an All-American is a tremendous honor and is a testament to the hard work he has put in these past two years. Chris is a true asset to Tarleton State University and its baseball program.”

Casazza becomes the first Texan baseball player to be named an All-American since Jay Grona earned the honor in 1998 and is just the seventh all-time. The Texan third baseman/outfielder joins the prestigious list of Tarleton athletes that consists of Grona (third team) and Tommy Keeling (first team, 1996 and second team, 1997) as the only players to earn the honor while an NCAA Division II member. Four Tarleton players – Mike Cantu (first team, 1991), Nick Heupal (honorable mention, 1992), A.J. Hall (honorable mention, 1992) and James Dunlap (honorable mention, 1995) – earned All-America honors as a NAIA member school.  

Casazza, a native of Temecula, Calif., finished the season batting .379 with 16 home runs, 15 doubles and 59 runs batted in, while racking up a .746 slugging percentage and leading the Texans to a 26-25 overall season and a second-straight trip to the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament.

A total of 45 student-athletes, representing 33 institutions were named to either the first, second or third team All-America squad, while 17 other players along with Casazza were named honorable mention. Members of the NCAA Division II College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selected the All-America teams.