May 3, 2005

The University of Texas-Pan American baseball players Matt Eichel (Grapevine, TX/Grapevine H.S.) and Otis Powers (Brownsville, TX/Simon Rivera H.S.) were honored with selections to the NCAA Division I Academic All-Independent team announced on Tuesday (May 3).

Eichel earned UTPA Dean's List second honors in the fall of 2004 and has accumulated an overall grade point average of 3.204 in mechanical engineering. The UTPA senior has seen action behind the dish for the Broncs in 45 of the team's 50 games this season. He is batting .273 on the season, delivering 39 hits in 143 at-bats, including a career-high 12 doubles. Eichel has driven in a team-high 29 runs this season while 14 in the process.

Powers was a member of the Bronc Pride 3.0 Club for the fall 2004 semester and has achieved a GPA of 3.500 in criminal justice. The Broncs' junior is currently ranked sixth on the squad in batting average (.263) and has set career-highs in at-bats (80), hits (21), runs (10), RBI (10) and doubles (6).

The Academic All-Independent baseball team was selected by the Sports Information Director of Independent institutions. Nominations were accepted for student-athletes who had at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, had reached at least a sophomore athletic standing and was a starter or key reserve for each team.

NCAA Division I Independent baseball programs include UTPA, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, New York Institute of Technology, Utah Valley State, Savannah State, Longwood, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, Dallas Baptist, IPFW, Hawaii - Hilo, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and UC - Davis.

UTPA Sports Information