TOWSON, Md. – Cal State Fullerton senior Carlos Lopez was named to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-American third team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, it was announced on Friday.
Lopez is just the second student-athlete in the history of the Cal State Fullerton baseball program, to earn Capital One Academic All-America honors, following three-time honoree Jon Smith (1999-01).
The native of Northridge, Calif., is also currently a finalist and leading the voting for the Senior CLASS Award.
A three-time Big West All-Academic selection (2010, 2011, 2012),Lopez 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 Capitol One Academic All-District team in 2011 and 2013. Lopez has been named to the Dean's List twice, and he currently boasts a 3.41 GPA. He has completed requirements for a Communications Entertainment degree, and recently completed a minor in American Studies.
The Titans finished the regular season with a 48-8 record, the best ever mark for the program since Fullerton began competing in Division I play in 1975. The Titans also enter the postseason with a No. 3 ranking from Baseball America and a No. 5 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, and Lopez is a big reason why.
He was recently named the Big West Conference co-Field Player of the Year following an outstanding senior campaign. Lopez is hitting .344 on the season to rank seventh in the league, while driving in 34 RBI. He currently ranks second in the Big West in runs scored with 50 and is tied for fifth with 75 hits.
On May 20, Lopez earned Big West Co-Player of the Week honors after he sent the Titans to their fourth straight Big West title with dramatic back-to-back walk-off home runs against rival UC Irvine (May 18-19).
With the second game of the series tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Lopez came to the plate with two outs and the bases empty. He hammered a 1-1 offering over the right field wall for a series-clinching 3-2 victory.
The first baseman capitalized again on Sunday as this time Cal State Fullerton trailed 5-4 in the ninth. With one out, two runners on base and a 1-1 count, Lopez hit a three-run jack to right field to deliver a 7-5 comeback win and solidify the series sweep over the Anteaters.
The win secured the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for CSF and clinched the program's 27th conference championship.
During his career, Lopez has managed a .339 batting average and has played in 221 career games, which ranks eighth all-time at Fullerton. His 282 career hits rank fourth all-time at Fullerton. In addition, he has totaled 143 runs scored, 53 doubles, 10 triples, 14 home runs, 154 RBIs, 91 walks and 34 stolen bases.
Lopez returned for his senior season after earning Big West Conference First Team honors in 2012 and hitting .317 while playing in all 57 games. The Titans' starting first baseman has participated in three consecutive postseason appearances at CSF, including a run to the Super Regionals in 2010 during his freshman campaign.
During the past four years with Lopez on the roster, the Titans have totaled a remarkable 171-64 (.728) record. As a redshirt freshman in 2010, Lopez was named to the Big West Conference second team, received freshman All-America honors, and was selected to the American Baseball Coaches Association All-West Region second team. Lopez has also performed at his best in the postseason, earning all-tournament nods at the Fullerton Regionals in 2010 and 2011, respectively.