Feb. 5, 2010

2010 Baseball America Preseason All-America Teams

ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington center fielder Michael Choice was named a second team preseason All-American by Baseball America on Friday. Choice (Arlington, Texas) was the only player from the Southland Conference selected to the list, which was selected by Major League Baseball scouting directors. Choice has been named to four preseason All-American teams this year.

Choice also received second team preseason All-American honors from PING! and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper while being named to the third team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

He recorded the fifth highest batting average in school history (.413) as a sophomore and finished the year leading the team with 11 home runs and collected 64 runs - which ranks third in UTA history.

Choice played for the USA Baseball National Team last summer where he was named to the World Baseball Challenge All-Tournament team while leading Team USA to the championship with a tournament-high three home runs. Choice batted .350 with 13 RBI during the summer.

Choice is a two-time All-Southland selection, earning first team in 2009 and second team honors as a freshman. He was selected the Southland Freshman of the Year in 2008 while leading the Mavericks with a .376 batting average, seven home runs and 51 RBI. He was named to five Freshman All-American teams following the 2008 season.

After only two seasons in a UTA uniform, Choice ranks tied for 10th in UTA history for career home runs (18) and ranks third in career slugging (.604). In addition, Choice enters the season as the UTA career batting leader with a .396 career average (167-for-422).

Choice batted a team-high .433 (29-for-67) in 17 games last season against opponents who made the NCAA Tournament, and he is a career .367 (18-for-49) hitter against Big 12 opponents with 11 runs, six doubles, three home runs, eight walks and 15 RBI in 12 games.

Michael Choice Awards and Honors:
2010 Baseball America Second Team Preseason All-American
2010 First Team Preseason All-Southland Conference
Named to UT Arlington Baseball 2000's All-Decade Team (OF)
2010 PING! Second Team Preseason All-American
2010 College Baseball Blog No. 13 ranked player on Projected Top 100 Players List
2010 Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Second Team Preseason All-American
2010 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Third Team Preseason All-American
2009 Baseball America No. 8 USA Baseball National Team Prospect
2009 World Baseball Challenge All-Tournament Team (Team USA)
2009 World Baseball Challenge Home Run Hitting Award (Team USA)
2009 USA Baseball National Team Member
2009 American Baseball Coaches Association Second Team South Central All-Region
2009 First Team All-Southland Conference
2009 Southland Conference Hitter of the Week (Apr. 13)
2009 Southland Conference Hitter of the Week (Feb. 24)
2009 Brooks Wallace Preseason Player of the Year Watch List
2009 First Team Preseason All-Southland Conference
2009 Baseball America Preseason All-Southland Conference
2009 Rivals.com Preseason All-Southland Conference
2008 Rivals.com Freshman All-American
2008 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association First Team Freshman All-American
2008 Baseball America Second Team Freshman All-American
2008 Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American
2008 PING! Second Team Freshman All-American
2008 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year
2008 Second Team All-Southland Conference