<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753363435364.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas State Athletics
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MANHATTAN, Kan. &ndash;&nbsp;The K-State baseball team was honored for its academic success by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), as the Wildcats received the Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2024-25 season. The award, established in 2016, recognizes high school and college teams coached by ABCA members that achieve a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale during the academic year. This year, 440 college programs and nearly 300 high school programs were recognized for their academic achievement. The Wildcats posted a 3.24 team GPA for the 2024-25 academic year, while four student-athletes &ndash; catcher&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/bear-madliak/12309" rel="smarttag" rev="12309">Bear Madliak</a></dfn>, outfielder&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/keegan-o-connor/12317" rel="smarttag" rev="12317">Keegan O'Connor</a></dfn>, and pitchers&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/ty-ruhl/12303" rel="smarttag" rev="12303">Ty Ruhl</a></dfn>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/lincoln-sheffield/12332" rel="smarttag" rev="12332">Lincoln Sheffield</a></dfn>&nbsp;&ndash; earned perfect 4.0 GPAs during the spring semester. K-State was one of nine Big 12 schools to earn the award, marking the program's second time receiving the honor and the first since the 2016-17 season. The American Baseball Coaches Association has a long tradition of recognizing the achievements of baseball coaches and student-athletes. The ABCA/Rawlings All-America Teams are the nation's oldest, founded in 1949, and the ABCA's awards program also includes the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Awards, the ABCA/Diamond Regional &amp; National Coaches of the Year and several other major awards such as the ABCA Hall of Fame and the Ethics in Coaching Award. Under seventh-year head coach&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/pete-hughes/2603" rel="smarttag" rev="2603">Pete Hughes</a></dfn>, the Wildcats concluded the 2025 season with an overall record of 32-26, including a record-breaking 17 conference victories. K-State advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, marking the program's first back-to-back appearances since 2010&ndash;11.</div>

⚾ K-State earns ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award