Wittenberg Baseball Standout Jon Komperda Named First-Team Academic All-District

Jon Komperda

Jon Komperda

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Wittenberg University baseball standout Jon Komperda, class of 2005, has been recognized for the combination of his athletic and academic accomplishments with first-team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division All-District IV honors.

This is the first such honor in Komperda's fine Wittenberg career. A three-year starter at second base and a four-year letterwinner for the Tiger baseball team, Komperda started 36 of the team's 37 games in 2005, turning in a .358 batting average and an on-base percentage of .407, with 22 runs batted in and 26 runs scored, all of which were among the top four on the team. Also a solid defensive player, Komperda finished his senior season with a .953 fielding percentage, making just seven errors compared to 86 assists, second-most on the team, and 56 putouts.

"I think Jon epitomizes Division III athletics," said Wittenberg Baseball Head Coach Jay Lewis. "He is a hard worker both in the classroom and on the field.

"He loves baseball, but he understands the reality of things and the need to get the job done in the classroom. He realized right away that he would work as hard he could at baseball while he was at Wittenberg and also take care of the academic side of things that are so important to his future."

Komperda, from Bay Village, Ohio, finished his career with .367 batting average, including 146 total hits, which ranks 11th on Wittenberg's all-time list. He scored 84 runs, including a team-best 32 in 2004, successfully stole 22-of-29 bases and drove in 61 runs in his career. The Tigers posted winning records in three of the last four seasons.

Komperda will now be considered for Academic All-America honors in voting that takes place later this month.

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