NDSU's Tim Colwell Voted Preseason All-American by NCBWA

IRVING, Texas - North Dakota State center fielder Tim Colwell was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association's Preseason All-America third team Wednesday, Dec. 12.

Colwell, a junior from Shoreview, Minn., was voted to the All-Midwest Region second team last spring by the American Baseball Coaches Association.  He was NDSU's first all-region pick at the Division I level.

Colwell led North Dakota State with a .381 batting average, 244 at-bats, 93 hits, 62 runs, nine triples, 12 stolen bases, 25 walks, a .438 on-base percentage and a .512 slugging percentage.

In the NCAA Division I statistics, Colwell ranked 31st in batting average, 26th in runs scored, 20th in total hits, and third in triples.  He led The Summit League in all four categories.

Colwell had a 34-game on-base streak during the 2012 season including a 13-game hitting streak.  He twice tied the NDSU single-game record with five hits at Northern Colorado and at Western Illinois.

Colwell was an All-Summit League first team pick and a Capital One Academic All-America® first team selection.  He hit 10-for-18 (.556) with two walks and four runs scored in four Summit League tournament games and was named to the all-tournament team.

Colwell was the only Summit League player selected to the NCBWA Preseason All-America teams.  Summit League Pitcher of the Year Drew Bowen of Oral Roberts, now in the Southland Conference, was named a third-team starting pitcher.

North Dakota State set a school record for wins finishing 40-20 last year and advancing to the championship game of the Summit League tournament after placing third in the league with a 14-10 record.  The Bison open the 2013 season Feb. 15-17 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

2013 NCBWA Preseason All-America Teams
First Team
C - Mitchell Garver, New Mexico
1B - Johnny Coy, Wichita State
2B - Michael Felton, Campbell
3B - DJ Peterson, New Mexico
SS - Hunter Dozier, Stephen F. Austin
OF - Raph Rhymes, LSU
OF - Michael Conforto, Oregon State
OF - Boomer Collins, Dallas Baptist
DH - Nick Backlund, Mercer
U - Marco Gonzales, Gonzaga
SP - Carlos Rodon, North Carolina State
SP - Nick Petree, Missouri State
SP - Mark Appel, Stanford
SP - Chris Rowley, Army
SP - Adam Plutko, UCLA
RP - Jimmie Sherfy, Oregon
RP - Michael Wagner, San Diego
RP - Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State

Second Team
C - Mark Zagunis, Virginia Tech
1B - Jared Hammer, Hofstra
2B - Christian Stringer, Rice
3B - Trea Turner, North Carolina State
SS - Adam Frazier, Mississippi State
OF - Bill Cullen, VCU
OF - Matt Honchel, Miami (Ohio)
OF - Aaron Judge, Fresno State
DH - Michael Pritchard, Nebraska
U - Michael Lorenzen, Cal State Fullerton
SP - Trevor Williams, Arizona State
SP - Buck Farmer, Georgia Tech
SP - Kent Emanuel, North Carolina
SP - Tyler Skulina, Kent State
SP - Austin Kubitza, Rice
RP - Tyler Webb, South Carolina
RP - David Berg, UCLA
RP - Tyler Burgess, Missouri State

Third Team
C - Alex Swim, Elon
1B - Mason Katz, LSU
2B - Jordan Hankins, Austin Peay
3B - Kris Bryant, San Diego
SS - Will Callaway, Appalachian State
DH - Zach Stephens, Tennessee Tech
OF - Austin Cousino, Kentucky
OF - Jeff Roy, Rhode Island
OF - Brandon Thomas, Georgia
OF - Tim Colwell, North Dakota State
DH - Kevin Krause, Stony Brook
U - A.J. Reed, Kentucky
SP - Drew Bowen, Oral Roberts
SP - Mike Compton, Florida State
SP - Corey Littrell, Kentucky
SP - Preston Morrison, TCU
SP - Matt Pegler, College of Charleston
SP - Andrew Vasquez, UC Santa Barbara
RP - A.J. Salcines, Miami (Fla.)
RP - Chad Sobotka, South Carolina Upstate
RP - Colby Suggs, Arkansas
RP - Kellen Urbon, Cornell