Kansas' Tony Thompson Named Preseason All-American

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas junior third baseman Tony Thompson has been named a preseason Second Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association.

Thompson is one of four baseball players from the Big 12 selected to the NBCWA's All-America teams, and the only position player.

Thompson, a 6-foot-4 junior from Reno, Nev., 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. As a sophomore, 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 on Feb. 18, hosting Eastern Michigan in a three-game series at Hoglund Ballpark.