Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

Westfield State University senior standout student-athlete Josh Blair has been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District baseball first team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Blair, a Westfield, Mass., resident and a 2008 graduate of Westfield High School, was selected as an All-Academic outfielder on the District I squad that encompasses NCAA Division III colleges in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

The Academic All-District baseball squad includes three players from MIT, two from WPI, and one from the following: Norwich, Wheaton, Becker, Keene State, and Westfield.

Blair is graduating this month with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and a minor in biology.  He owns a 3.79 grade point average at Westfield after transferring from UMass Amherst following his freshman year.

The Westfield State scholar plans to enroll in a physician assistant graduate program to obtain a master’s degree and the certification required for becoming a physician assistant.

On the playing field, the 6-4, 245-pounder was the Owls’ second leading hitter this season with a .363 batting average. The second-team all-conference selection slugged 13 doubles, two triples and two home runs with a team-high 28 RBI.

He finished his stellar three-year collegiate career with a .336 batting average.

“This is a great honor for Josh and we congratulate him on his outstanding academic and athletic career,” said Westfield State athletics director Richard Lenfest. “We have had a number of outstanding student-athletes in my seven years at Westfield and we are constantly striving to maintain that trend.”

Blair is the sixth Westfield State student-athlete to earn Academic All-District honors in the past three years. Other Owls honored were: Rachel Dionne (lacrosse/cross country), Stephanie Bartkus (volleyball), Alicia Gardner (softball), Kerry Arouca (track and field/cross country), and Kate MacLellan (soccer).

As a first-team All-District selection, Blair’s name has been forwarded to the Academic All-America selection committee. To be eligible for AcademicAll-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.