BEREA, OHIO --  Baldwin Wallace University senior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Ben Umbel (Poland/ Seminary)  has been named as a CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District 7 selection and now qualifies for the national CAPITAL ONE Academic All-America ballot.

Umbel, who carries a 3.91 grade point average, is a biology and pre-med major who has already been accepted into a number of medical schools for the next academic year. He is a two-year full-time starter who also started five games as a sophomore following his transfer from NCAA Division I Youngstown State University.

This season, Umbel has started all 21 games for the 16-5 overall Yellow Jackets and averages 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds-per-game, is second on the team with 71 assists, first with 17 blocked shots and leads the OAC in steals with 46.  Last week, in wins against both the University of Mount Union and Wilmington College, he scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, passed for 11 assists and made five steals as the Yellow Jackets won both games.

In his BW career, Umbel has played in 69 games, including 52 starts, and has scored 382 points, grabbed 314 rebounds, passed for 197 assists, stands third all-time with 133 steals, has 40 blocked shots and 20 three-pointers. Most importantly, his forte is defense, and Umbel is arguably regarded as one of the best defenders in the OAC and Great Lakes Region of Division III.  Last winter, he earned Academic All-OAC honors.

In the classroom, Umbel also is a leader. He is a member of the Chi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, is a two-time recipient of the Jacket Scholar Award, was honored at last year's BW Honors Day ceremony for having the best grade average on the men's basketball team, is a member of the Dean's List, Pre-Med Club and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

"Ben is extremely deserving of this honor," said Yellow Jacket veteran Head Coach Duane Sheldon, who was an Academic All-OAC student-athlete during his time at BW in the early 1990s. "He is a leader in the classroom, on our campus and on the basketball court.

"In the classroom, Ben carries a high grade point average, always has his priorities in the right places and is already accepted into medical school,"said a proud Sheldon. "The impact he has every day with our younger student-athletes is excellent. Ben is a great role model for them to emulate.

"On the basketball court, Ben gives a 110 percent effort every minute he is on the floor," continued Sheldon.  "If you've ever watched Ben play, you know who he is.....you see him diving on the floor, taking the charging foul, playing great defense on our opponent's best scorer and firing up his team."

The Yellow Jackets return to action on Wednesday, February 6 when they travel to University Heights, Ohio to play OAC and Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center at 7:00 p.m.

The 2012-2013 CAPITAL ONE Academic All-America team will be announced on Tuesday, February 19.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact SID Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu and Assistant SID Jeff Miller by telephone at 440-826-2780 and e-mail at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.c0m/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.