WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - For the third straight year, Eastern Connecticut State University senior  baseball player Tristan Hobbes (Utica, NY) has been recognized for his academic and athletic successes by earning a spot on the ESPN The Magazine/College Division District I Academic All-District Team, sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Student-athletes from Division II and III institutions located in New England and New York were eligible for consideration to the College Division team.

Hobbes became the baseball program's first all-academic choice ever two years ago in his first year of eligibility and has followed that up by repeating the honor each of the last two years. He was named to the first team all three years.

This year, a total of 28 student-athletes were named to the All-District baseball team: 11 on the first team and 17 on the second team. Hobbes was one of four infielders chosen. Only one other institution from the Little East Conference was represented on the team.

A Communication major minoring in Sport and Leisure Management, Hobbes carried an overall  3.82 grade-point average through the fall semester, with his GPA the third-highest among first team selections. He has been a member of the Dean's List (3.50+) in six of his seven semesters at Eastern Connecticut and is a member of the Communication honor society.

As an undergraduate, Hobbes has received numerous awards and citations for academic and extracurricular activities. He earned an Eastern/E-Club Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award  (cumulative 3.50 GPA) and also qualified for a spot on the the Little East Conference baseball academic honor roll in each of his two seasons of eligibility for those awards.This past spring, he received the prestigious Connecticut State University System Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award. For that award, nominees must have a minimum cumulative 3.75 GPA and have exhibited a record of significant community service.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, Hobbes has served as the president of Eastern Connecticut's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years, has been Eastern's representative to the Little East Conference SAAC, has been active as a play-by-play and color commentator for a variety of the department's internet broadcasts the last two seasons, and has hosted a weekly sports radio show dedicated to campus events.

This past spring, he was awarded the prestigious Francis E. Geissler Senior Male SportsPerson-of-the-Year Award, which rewards a student-athlete for team spirit, dedication, integrity, sportsmanship, and leadership.

Hobbes is also a finalist for the Jim McKay Scholarship --  a $10,000 scholarship presented by the NCAA to one male and one female student-athlete in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and potential to make a major contribution in the sports communication industry.  

A first baseman, the left-handed hitting Hobbes was named second-team all-conference and a member of this year's conference tournament championship team and NCAA qualifier. He batted .331 in 42 games, with six home runs, 32 RBI and 72 total bases and fielded .987. The Warriors won 39 and lost 8 and were ranked first nationally in Division III after winning their first 13 games.

A first-team All-New England selection as a sophomore in 2007, Hobbes was a member of two regional championship team in his career. He batted .330 with 175 hits, 12 home runs, 122 RBI and a .986 fielding average.

All first-team selections from the nation's eight districts are eligible for Academic All-America consideration.