MALIBU, Calif. –
Cooper Chandler of the #17 Pepperdine baseball team was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic first team, the conference announced on Wednesday.
Billy Cook, Gunnar Groen, Michael Mahony and
Aharon Modlin were named honorable mentions.
At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, while also being a significant contributor to his team.
Chandler (Frisco, Texas/Wakeland HS) was off to a great start before the cancelation of the season. The redshirt-sophomore led all starters with a 1.00 ERA in 18 innings pitched. He struck out 20 batters while walking just five, marking a 3-0 record. This is his first all-academic honor.
Cook (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) was off to one of the hottest starts of any hitter on the team, sharing the lead in home runs with four and driving in 14 runs, all while hitting at a .344 clip. He also led the team with a 1.124 OPS and a .672 slugging percentage. This is his first all-academic honor.
Groen (Austin, Texas/Westlake HS) was on the cusp of a breakout year, starting three games and earning a 2-1 record. He led all starters with a 0.95 WHIP and was second on the team in innings pitched, with 21. This is his first all-academic honor.
Mahony (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison HS) had a 0.00 ERA, throwing just two innings on the year. In his two innings, he struck out three batters and walked two. This year's selection is Mahony's second all-academic selection. He was previously named an honorable mention in 2018.
Modlin (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) was the team's best hitter by average, hitting .417 in the shortened season. He led the team with 26 hits, drove in 11 runs and hit five doubles. This year's selection is Modlin's second all-academic selection. He was previously named an honorable mention in 2018.
The Waves reached their highest ranking since the 2014 season, being named the #17 team in the nation by both Collegiate Baseball and D1Baseball before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
