Bob Malek Named Third-Team All-America
6/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 20, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State sophomore centerfielder Bob Malek (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Central Catholic), has been named Third-Team All-America by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods. The ABCA All-America Teams are collegiate baseball's oldest selections, dating back to 1949.
This year, Malek led Michigan State in hitting with a .427 average. A lefthanded batter, Malek set the MSU single-season hit record with 88. His .427 batting average ranked him 17th in the nation. Besides starting all 56 of MSU's contests this season, he led the squad in runs (53), doubles (15), slugging percentage (.587) and total bases (121) and ranked second in RBI (42). A 2001 First-Team All-Big Ten selection, Malek led the conference in batting average and hits. Malek becomes Michigan State's first All-American since Mark Mulder earned third-team honors in 1998.
In 2000, Malek was named to both the Louisville Slugger and Baseball America Freshman All-America teams after batting .345 with 58 RBI and nine home runs.
Malek joins freshman Bryan Gale as Spartans to earn All-America honors this season. Gale earned a spot on the 2001 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team.
"It's a great honor for Bob Malek to be named an All-American in his sophomore season," said MSU head coach Ted Mahan. "After earning third-team honors this season and Freshman All-America honors last year, he can shoot to make first or second team next season. I am elated for him as an individual.
"It's a great sign for Michigan State baseball to have both Malek and Bryan Gale earn All-America honors this year. It shows that we have a great amount of young talent in our program and points to next year as an opportunity to accomplish some special things as a team."
