LA MIRADA, Calif.  --- The College Sports Information Directors of America announced its Academic All-District Baseball & Softball Teams for the 2021 season. CoSIDA Academic All-District members are recognized as the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Nominees are divided into eight districts for the first round, which is voted on by that district's sports information directors.

A trio of Eagles earned their first career CoSIDA Academic-All District awards.  Biola Baseball's RobertAnthony Cruz and Johnny Sage were joined by Biola Softball's Kayla Neff on the Academic All-District VII Teams as announced Thursday.

Cruz continues to add honors to his incredible 2021 season. The junior boasts a 3.94 grade-point average, while majoring in Christian Ministries. Cruz finished the 2021 season with a .388 batting average with 11 homeruns. The junior led the eagles in OPS (1.222), runs scored (29), hits (45), RBI (36) and walks (23). 

An impressive season on the field and in the classroom led to Cruz hauling in multiple postseason accolades that include ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II West All-Region First Team, All-PacWest First Team, NCBWA First Team, CCA Honorable Mention All-America Team and D2CCA All-Region First Team.

Sage, a graduate student, was also a first time recipient of the Academic All-District honor. The BU outfielder owns a 3.89 grade-point average as he works towards his Master of Business Administration.  

In the outfield, Sage was a solid defender making plenty of tremendous grabs for his BU pitching staff. In the box, Sage posted a .357 batting average as Biola's leadoff hitter. 

Sage had 10 multi-hit games in 2021 and was a perfect five-for-five in his final game of the season against Northwest Nazarene. In 126 at bats, Sage recorded 45 hits with 11 going for extra bases. 

Kayla Neff rounds out her collegiate career with a 3.45 grade-point average majoring in Special Education, she also earns Academic All-District honors for the first time in her career.

Neff put together a top-tier campaign with team-highs in batting average (3.47), RBI (31), home runs (7) and slugging percentage (.576%), while tallying a career-high 19 runners caught stealing.

In her final season, the senior backstop continued to gather honors as she was named to the NCAA DII National Championships All-Tournament Team, D2CCA All-West Region Second Team, All-PacWest First Team and NFCA All-West Region Second Team.

First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot. First, second, and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in late July.