As the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship gets ready to begin today, Friday, May 22, the Elite 89 Award winner was announced at the banquet before the beginning of the College World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin, and for the second time in his career, senior Dan Fein was honored with the award.

Fein is the CAC's first two-time winner of the Elite 89 Award and one of six CAC athletes to be honored in their respective sport - all from Salisbury.  Fein is also the second CAC/Salisbury athlete to win the award during the 2014-15 academic year, joining SU field hockey standout Breck Sullivan.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA in 2009, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 89 championships.

Fein, a pitcher from Southbury, Connecticut, has carried a 4.0 in his major of mathematics at Salisbury, which is the highest GPA of any player on the eight teams participating in this year's baseball national championship. Fein has also shined on the field, earning a 6-0 record with a 2.90 ERA and 39 strikeouts.

Fein and the Sea Gulls get ready to take on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday for the first day of action of the Division III College World Series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:45 p.m., eastern time.