MARSHALL, MINN.: Southwest Minnesota State University junior Greg Laughlin has been named ESPN the Magazine first team Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).  The announcement came late Thursday evening.

It was the second year in a row he has been named Academic All-District after earning second team honors last spring.

The College Division District 5 team, which consists of student-athletes from NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools from the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, was selected by sports information directors in the district.

Laughlin will now advance to the national ballot for a chance to be named Academic All-America.

A junior from Eden Prairie, Minn., Laughlin carries a 3.94 GPA and is a business administration major.  The second baseman leads the Mustangs with a .395 batting average and 58 hits.  He also has 10 doubles, one home run, 35 RBI and 31  runs scored.  He also has a .956 fielding percentage.

This is the sixth time an SMSU baseball player has been named Academic All-District.  Brandon Rokke is the only player to be named Academic All-America, after being named to the second team in 2003 and first team in 2004.

Southwest Minnesota State University is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. SMSU, 24-19 overall, lost in the first round of the NSIC Tournament yesterday and will play Wayne State (Neb.) at 1 p.m. today in Wayne, Neb.