May 8, 2003

Memphis, Tenn. - Memphis designated hitter Ryan Martin was honored for both his success in the classroom and on the diamond Thursday as he was named to the Verizon Academic All-District IV University Division Baseball Team. Through three semesters in the classroom, Martin has compiled a 3.46 GPA in his major of business and in 27 starts for the Tigers this season, the left-handed batter leads the Tigers with .336 batting average.

Martin was selected by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (COSIDA) within District IV and with his first-team status, he will be eligible for selection to the Verizon Academic All-America Baseball Team to be announced May 27.

District IV is made up of Division I schools in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. Martin was one of three Conference-USA players to make the District IV first and second teams. UAB had one each on the first and second teams as senior pitcher Scott Gibson earned first-team honors and senior outfielder Mitch Jones earned second-team honors.

Martin, a Collierville, Tenn., native, has seen action in 37 of the Tigers' 47 contests and has posted career-highs in both home runs (6) and RBI (16). Four of Martin's six home runs have come in conference play where he leads the Tigers' with a .385 batting average.

The Tigers (17-30, 8-15 C-USA) host Houston this weekend in a Conference-USA series at Nat Buring Stadium. Game one of the series is slated for Friday at 7 p.m.