MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State is one of just six Division I college baseball programs named for nine consecutive years as a recipient of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award which was announced on Wednesday. The award recognizes teams who maintain a team grade-point average of at least 3.0 each academic year. Ball State, which boasted a 3.42 GPA last spring, has been recognized by the ABCA in every season since the award was established in 2015-16. The only other schools who have earned the honor in nine straight seasons are Duke, East Carolina, Oregon State, St.