For the second consecutive year, it is a three-peat for WKU Baseball’s Kaleb Duckworth in the classroom, as the junior earned 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team honors, it was announced Friday.
This news came on the heels of Duckworth being named to the InTouch Credit Union Conference USA All-Academic Team 10 days ago and the CoSIDA Academic All-District II Team in early May. The Henderson, Kentucky, native earned all three in 2016 as well, making him the lone student-athlete in the league to do so.
C-USA All-Academic nominees must be a starter or significant contributor to the team while carrying at least a 3.3 grade point average, and Duckworth surely fits that bill. In the classroom, he boasts a top-tier 3.96 GPA while pursuing a degree in Accounting. At the beginning of April, he earned C-USA Academic Medal (3.75 GPA or higher) distinction for the third straight year.
The Henderson, Kentucky, native ranked third on WKU with seven homeruns and fourth with 24 runs batted in. Duckworth led the season with 10 stolen bases in 11 attempts, starting in 41-of-55 games this season. He finished 2017 with four dingers in his final 11 starts.
He provided the most exciting moment of the season, crushing a walk-off, two-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth gave the Hilltoppers a dramatic 6-5 victory over Valparaiso on Opening Day. On his 21st birthday Tuesday, May 2 vs. Eastern Kentucky, the outfielder/designated hitter filled up the stat sheet by going 2-for-3 – while also reaching base via walk and hit by pitch – stole two bases, scored three times and drove in four.
Overall, Duckworth is one of 33 in Division I Baseball to receive a spot on the First, Second or Third Team squads, and among those only one of eight to be honored for a second time in their career. He is one of five Accounting majors in the group and one of 11 with at least a 3.95 grade point average.
In terms of WKU history, it was the eighth time a Hilltopper has made the prestigious merit since 2009, while Duckworth only the second student-athlete (Matt Rice in 2009, 2010 and 2011) to earn CoSIDA All-America honors multiple times in a career.
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Bryan Fyalkowski
Assistant Director of Media Relations
WKU Hilltopper Athletics