ATLANTA -- Georgia State shortstop Justin Jones was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division I Baseball Team for the second straight year, announced Friday by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Jones made the 2017 second team after earning third-team accolades in 2016. He is just Georgia State's fourth two-time Academic All-American in any sport but the second baseball student-athlete in the last two years, along with catcher Joey Roach (2015 and 2016).
Georgia State boasts 19 Academic All-America student-athletes in its history, including six honorees the last three years.
Jones' 4.08 grade point average in health and physical education is the highest on the 33-man Academic All-America® team.
The junior from Warner Robins, Ga., is a three-year starter at shortstop with a career batting average of .288 with 77 runs batted in and 98 runs scored, including Freshman All-America honors in 2015. This season, he was second on the team with 25 RBI while hitting .275 with two homers, a team-leading 14 doubles and 30 runs scored. Jones has driven in the game-winning run in extra innings four times in his career, including twice this season.
In the last five years, eight different Georgia State baseball players have earned a total of 12 All-America awards: Chase Raffield (All-American, 2013 and 14), Chad Prain (All-American, 2013), Nic Wilson (All-American, 2014), Matt Rose (Freshman All-American, 2013), Josh Merrigan (Freshman All-American, 2013), Scott Sarratt (Academic All-American, 2013), Justin Jones (Freshman All-American, 2015; Academic All-American, 2016 and 2017), Joey Roach (Academic All-American, 2015 and 16).
GEORGIA STATE'S CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
Year |
Student-Athlete |
Sport |
Team |
1987-88 |
Traci Cheek |
Women's Basketball |
First |
1988-89 |
Jennifer Morgan |
Softball |
Second |
1989-90 |
Jennifer Morgan |
Softball |
Second |
1994-95 |
Bettina Schmidt |
Women's Volleyball |
Third |
2003-04 |
Kasper Jorgenson |
Men's At-Large (Golf) |
Third |
2004-05 |
Jenn Feenstra |
Women's Track/CC |
First |
2005-06 |
Meghan McCoy |
Softball |
Second |
2010-11 |
Bri Cagle |
Women's Soccer |
Third |
2010-11 |
Yolanda Berryhill |
Women's Track/CC |
Third |
2011-12 |
Bri Cagle |
Women's Soccer |
Second |
2011-12 |
Vineece Verdun |
Women's Volleyball |
Third |
2012-13 |
Scott Sarratt |
Baseball |
Second |
2012-13 |
Victor Valente |
Men's At-Large (Tennis) |
First |
2014-15 |
Callie Alford |
Softball |
Third |
2014-15 |
Joey Roach |
Baseball |
Second |
2015-16 |
Joey Roach |
Baseball |
First |
2015-16 |
Justin Jones |
Baseball |
Third |
2015-16 |
JJ Grey |
Men's At-Large (Golf) |
Third |
2016-17 |
Justin Jones |
Baseball |
Second |