FULLERTON, Calif. – Senior Carlos Lopez and sophomore Austin Diemer were named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-District VIII First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, it was announced today.
Lopez and Diemer will now advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first, second and third team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.
The Academic All-District® teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada.
Currently the Titans (36-7, 12-3) are off to their best start to the season for Fullerton since 1996. Cal State Fullerton is at the top of the Big West Conference standings, and is currently ranked fourth in the nation.
Lopez, currently a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, is three-time Big West All-Academic selection (2010, 2011, 2012), and currently boasts a 3.41 GPA. He was named the Cal State Fullerton Male Scholar Athlete of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2011 and 2012, and was also named to the Capital One Academic All-District VIII team previously in 2011. Lopez has been named to the Dean's List twice, and he has completed requirements for a Communications Entertainment degree, and is currently pursuing a minor in American Studies.
Lopez, Fullerton's starting first baseman, leads the Titans with 14 stolen bases, while batting .335 this season with 56 hits and a team-leading 35 runs scored. In addition, the native of Northridge, Calif., has driven in 21 runs.
Lopez's career batting average rests at .337 while his 263 career hits rank sixth all-time at Fullerton. In addition, during his four years on the diamond, he has totaled 128 runs scored, 48 doubles, 11 home runs, 141 RBIs, 86 walks and 34 stolen bases.
In addition, Lopez's 780 career at-bats rank sixth all-time at Fullerton, while his 208 games played rank 10th. Lopez's 10 triples tie for eighth in career history. freshman.
In his second season with the Titans, Diemer, boasts a 3.85 GPA as a communications major.
The native of Rocklin, Calif., has appeared in 36 games in 2013 – starting 28 – and is batting .341 for the Titans with a .431 on-base percentage. He has totaled 19 runs scored, 30 hits, two doubles, two triples and seven RBIs.
His seven stolen bases also tie for third on the roster.
Lopez and Diemer are the only representatives from the Big West Conference named to the All-District VIII First Team. In addition, the Titans and Washington State are the only two programs with multiple first-team selections.