June 17, 2011
Omaha, Neb. – South Carolina junior right-handed pitcher Michael Roth is the recipient of the Elite 88 award for the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Baseball Championship, it was announced Friday evening at the Opening Cermonies for the 2011 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Elite 88, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 88 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 88 championships.
Roth, majoring in international business, currently carries a 3.823 GPA. Roth was presented with the award during the College World Series Opening Ceremonies on Friday evening in Omaha, Neb.
All GPAs are based on a straight grading scale to ensure consistency among institutions. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed. Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and competing at the championship.
For more information on the Elite 88 award winners, log on to NCAA.com/elite88.
Roth, a first-team Academic All-America award winner, who also earned first-team All-America honors from Baseball America, is 13-3 with a 1.02 ERA on the year with six of his wins coming in SEC play. His 1.17 conference ERA was the best mark in the SEC as well. Roth’s 13 victories matches four other Gamecocks for the seventh highest single season mark in victories including Blake Cooper, who notched 13 wins in an All-America season last year for Carolina. He sits four victories behind the school record.
Roth is 2-0 in the 2011 postseason. He did not allow an earned run in 8.1 innings and yielded just six hits and one unearned run as South Carolina defeated Connecticut 5-1 in game one of the NCAA Super Regional for his 13th win of the season. The week before in the NCAA Regional, Roth hurled seven innings and allowed just one unearned run as South Carolina defeated Georgia Southern 2-1 as Roth earned All-Tournament Team accolades. He also earned All-Tournament Team honors at the SEC Tournament, hurling hisfirst complete game by a Gamecock this year in the 7-3 win over Auburn. It marked Roth’s second career complete game as well.
