Gram Named to All-WIAC First Team; Three Players Earn Honorable Mention Recognition

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

La Crosse, Wis. – University of Wisconsin-La Crosse junior centerfielder Storm Gram of Woodbury, Minn. (H.S.) has been selected to the 2008 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Baseball First Team in a vote by the league coaches. It marks the second straight season he has been named to the all-conference first team. An All-WIAC First Team selection at second base last season, Gram becomes the third player in school history (Jack Gurholt, Scott Mihalovic) to earn all-conference first team honors at two different positions.

Junior right-handed pitcher Ross Benitz of Osceola (H.S.), senior shortstop Dusty Otto of Beaver Dam (H.S.) and senior first baseman Mike Schmidt of Menomonie (H.S.) were all selected to the 2008 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team. Schmidt was also named to the inaugural All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Gram started all 39 games in 2008, leading UW-L with a .378 batting average. He also led the Eagles in hits (54), runs (51), doubles (16), walks (29), total bases (84) and stolen bases (16). Gram tied for the team lead in at-bats (143) while ranking third in RBI (35) and tied for third in home runs (4). His 51 runs ranks second in single-season school history while his 16 doubles are tied for second-most.

He led UW-L with 17 multi-hit games this year, including eight contests with three hits. Gram, who had a team-best 12-game hitting streak during the season, recorded at least one hit in 29 of 39 games. His 54 hits are tied for 13th in school history. Gram scored at least one run in 28 of 39 contests this year, including 16 games with at least two runs.

A career .391 hitter at UW-L, which currently ranks third in school history, Gram tied for the team lead in multi-RBI games with nine in 2008. He is also 15th in UW-L history with 90 career runs.

Benitz was selected to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team for the second straight year after finishing 5-6 this season with a 6.86 earned run average in 13 appearances (11 starts). His five victories were a team-high. Benitz also led the Eagles in starts (11) and innings (63.0) while tying for the team lead in strikeouts (27). He was third in appearances (13). He picked up wins over Augsburg (2-1), UW-Stevens Point (9-6), UW-Stout twice (16-2, 8-2) and UW-Superior (5-2). Benitz also recorded a save against Marian.

Benitz is now 10-11 in his three-year UW-L career, making 32 appearances on the mound, including 23 starts. He ranks 17th in career innings pitched with 151.0.

Otto started 37 contests this year, hitting .319. He finished second on the team in runs (32) and home runs (5) while tying for second in doubles (10). Otto was fourth in hits (43) and fifth in at-bats (135) and RBI (27).

A first time honoree on the all-league team in 2008, Otto had at least one hit in 28 of his 37 games played this year. He had 10 multi-hit contests and eight multi-RBI games. Otto played in 121 games in his four-year UW-L career. He is tied for eighth in career hits (115) and tied for 19th in career runs scored (82).

Schmidt also picked up his first career All-WIAC selection this season after hitting .340 with a team-leading six home runs and 38 runs batted in. The 38 RBI is tied for ninth in single-season school history. His .340 batting average ranked fourth on the team while starting 38 contests. Schmidt finished second for the Eagles in total bases (78) and tied for second in doubles (10) while being third in runs (29) and hits (48). Schmidt also finished fourth in at-bats (141).

A four-year letter winner for the UW-L baseball and football teams, Schmidt had at least one hit in 29 of 38 games in 2008, including 13 multi-hit contests. He went six-for-nine with four RBI at the WIAC Tournament May 9, including a pair of three-hit contests. Schmidt finished the season with a six-game hitting streak. Schmidt had seven multi-RBI games.

Schmidt played in 140 games in his UW-L career and ranks fourth in school history in RBI (117). He ranks fifth in career doubles (31), tied for sixth in hits (153) and 10th in runs scored (97). Schmidt ended his career with a .308 batting average.

UW-L finished 19-20 overall and 12-12 in the WIAC this season.