ST. LOUIS, MO.  – Indiana State sophomore Ryan Strausborger, who was a pre-season all-conference selection at second base, was named to the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference First Team at that position, it was announced the MVC on Monday.

Senior outfielder Chris Schmidt was named to the second team while junior outfielder Brady Shoemaker was named to the Honorable Mention team.

The Sycamores closed out the 2008 regular season on a four game winning streak, their longest of the season, and posted their first sweep of a conference opponent in three years. The last sweep of a MVC opponent came in 2005 when the Sycamores won all three games at Missouri State.

Strausborger had a .322 batting average in all games (.356 in MVC games) and led the Sycamores in triples with four. He also had eight doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs this season. His four triples was also tops in MVC games this season.

The sophomore had 120 put outs and 108 assists to finish the season with a .987 fielding average. In MVC games, Strausborger had 64 put outs and 45 assists with a .991 fielding average, best on the ISU team this season.

Schmidt led the Sycamores with a .374 batting average in all games (.385 in MVC games) and led the Sycamores in nearly every offensive category including at bats (214), runs (44), hits (80), total bases (108), stolen bases (21) and stolen base attempts (24).

He was fourth in the MVC overall statistics in hits and third in stolen bases while also third in MVC only statistics in hits (40) and second in stolen bases (10). The senior was also named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine District V All-Academic First Team.

Shoemaker finished the 2008 season with a .300 batting average (.279 in MVC games) and led the Sycamores in home runs (9), RBIs (68), slugging percentage (.556), and being hit by pitch (16).

In Missouri Valley overall statistics, Shoemaker led the league in RBIs. In conference only statistics, Shoemaker was fifth in slugging percentage (.616), first in RBIs (38), second in home runs (7) and second in walks (17).