Kansas' Thompson Earns Two More Honors

Jan. 12, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Kansas junior infielder Tony Thompson was honored by two more national publications Tuesday. The Jayhawk third baseman was named a preseason All-American by Ping! Baseball, while The College Baseball Blog selected Thompson as the No. 10 Player to Watch for the upcoming season.

This marks the second publication to name Thompson a preseason All-American. He was previously honored with this distinction from Louisville Slugger and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA). He also became the second Jayhawk to be named to The College Baseball Blog’s Top 100 Players to Watch in 2010, joining pitcher T.J. Walz (No. 51).

Thompson, a 6-foot-4 junior from Reno, Nev., was named a Preseason Second Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association (NCBWA) last week. The junior won the conference’s Triple Crown last season, leading the league in batting average (.389), home runs (21) and RBIs (82). He was named an All-American by four different publications following his sophomore season, as well as First Team All-Central Region and First Team All-Big 12.

He ranked third in Division I baseball in doubles (27), fourth in total bases (186), as well as seventh in RBIs. In 2009, he set single-season Jayhawk records in home runs and total bases, and ranked second in Kansas history in hits (96), doubles and RBIs.

Thompson and the Jayhawks will open the 2010 season with a three-game home series against Eastern Michigan beginning Friday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m., at Hoglund Ballpark.