(Story courtesy of Texas Lutheran University Athletic Department)

SEGUIN, Texas – Texas Lutheran sophomore Cullen Motsinger claimed the university's third Gold Glove award when he was named Wednesday to the 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Gold Glove Team for NCAA Division III. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team

Motsinger was recognized as the Gold Glove center fielder.

Motsinger joins his teammate, junior catcher Spencer Brant, and former Bulldog third baseman Jennings Boothe as Gold Glove winners for TLU.

Brandt won his award as a sophomore in 2018. Boothe was a senior when he claimed his Gold Glove in 2013.

Motsinger played and started 44 games for TLU in 2019, his first year as an every day player in the Bulldogs' lineup.

In center field, Motsinger had 124 defensive chances and did not make an error all year. He recorded 121 put-outs and three outfield assists.

Motsinger was a All-SCAC Second Team selection in 2019 and helped the Bulldogs to a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season Co-Championship and to a runner-up finish in the SCAC Baseball Championship.

The Bulldogs went 31-14 overall and 14-4 in the SCAC.

TLU received an at-large berth to the 2019 NCAA Division III Baseball Championships and hosted an NCAA regional tournament for the first time in school history.

Motsinger hit .327 with eight doubles, four triples and a home run. He drove in 31 (second-most on the team) and stole six bases. His on-base percentage of .452 was third-best on the squad.

Motsinger tied for second on the team in total hits (55), and he was third in runs scored.

An Academic Honor Roll member in the SCAC for a second straight season, Motsinger also collected the inaugural Elite 19 Award for baseball from the SCAC. He holds a cumulative grade point average of 3.788. Motsinger is an accounting major, and he is pursuing his bachelor's degree and master's degree in accountancy.

The SCAC Elite 19 is awarded to the student-athlete who has at least a cumulative 3.25 GPA, at least 60 credit hours and earns All-SCAC honors for that particular season. A student-athlete is honored annually from each of the league's 19 conference-sponsored sports and is recognized at the site at that year's conference championship event.

Motsinger was a letterman and travel squad member on TLU's 2018 national runner-up team at the NCAA Division III College World Series.

The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Awards are selected by ABCA coaches committees at each level: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and High School.

The ABCA/Rawlings Award Program is one of the most comprehensive in all of sports, awarding All-America Teams and Gold Glove Teams in nine divisions of amateur baseball as well as All-Region Teams in five divisions.

The ABCA/Rawlings All-America teams date back to 1949 starting with one collegiate All-America Team. Other divisions subsequently added until the current total of nine was reached. The first ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were recognized in 2007, making this the 13th year the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards have been presented in the collegiate and high school ranks.

The ABCA, founded in 1945, is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 11,000 members represent all 50 states and 23 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include eight divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School and Youth. The 76th annual ABCA Convention will be held Jan. 2-5, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn.