Lakeland University baseball student-athletes Caleb Sumsion (Jr.-Dayton, Nev.) and Eli Watkins (So.-Herrin, Ill.) both received academic honors when College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) released its NCAA Division III Academic All-District Teams Tuesday.

The awards are based on combined performances in the classroom and on the field. To be eligible, the nominee must be a starter or important reserve, have completed one full calendar year at the nominating institution and hold a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50.

Sumsion is majoring in sport management and leadership and just completed his first year at Lakeland after transferring from Yuba (Calif.) College. He carries a 4.0 GPA and was a starter in the middle infield, primarily at shortstop, and batted .206 with 26 hits, 15 runs batted in and 21 runs scored in 36 games.

Watkins is majoring in middle and high school education and also carries a 4.0 GPA. He was one of the Muskies' top relief pitchers this season, appearing in 17 games and posting a 3-3 record with two saves.

The 2024-25 Academic All-District Baseball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions - NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Complete CSC Academic All-District Baseball Release  PDF