CoSIDA Academic All-District® Release
Michael Thomas, a senior catcher on The College of Wooster baseball team, was voted to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District® Team, as announced by the national organization on Thursday afternoon. Thomas now advances to the Academic All-America® ballot.
Thomas sports a .286 average (30-for-105) entering this week's North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. The two-year starter has 37 runs, 20 RBI, five home runs, four doubles, and three triples on the year, all while sporting a .469 on-base percentage, thanks in large part to a co-team-leading 20 walks.
The business economics major logged a breakout game in a 15-1 win over Allegheny College on April 23, finishing 4-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, two runs scored, and a home run. Other key highlights for the Minneapolis, Minnesota native include a go-ahead three-run home run in an 8-6 win over regional rival Case Western Reserve University on April 13 and a go-ahead hit during game two of a key NCAC sweep over Wabash College on April 16.
Thomas examined the relationship between firms that engage in corporate social responsibility by implementing environmental, social, and governance scores and their corporate emissions for his Independent Study. His motivation for the project was focused on "exploring a private policy approach to mitigating the effects of climate change."
Elsewhere, Thomas spent two summers as an intern with Seattle CityClub. There, he managed data for state-level debates, conducted research for the housing coalition, and conducted research targeted at improving business quality. Thomas also gathered and analyzed data for a future shelter location with Simpson Housing Services in Minnesota.
Within Wooster's district – all Div. III institutions in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio – just 13 baseball players (three pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders, and two designated hitters) were part of the Academic All-District® Team. The Academic All-America® Team for baseball is slated to be announced on Wednesday, June 8.