Ohio State sophomore point guard Aaron Craft was recognized as a Capital One 2012 First Team Academic All-American Thursday.
Craft, who is an exercise science major and pre-med student, has a 3.89 GPA. He is the only sophomore on the first, second or third teams and is the first Buckeye men’s basketball player to earn All-American recognition since Bill Hosket in 1968.
Craft has started every game during the 2011-12 season for the No. 8-ranked basketball team and has averaged 8.3 points, 4.6 assists per game and 2.3 steals per game. His assist average ranks third in the Big Ten behind Penn State’s Tim Frazier and Michigan’s Trey Burke.
Craft is also among 11 other players in consideration for the Bob Cousy Award, which recognizes the top point guard in college basketball.
Last season, Craft won the 2011 Big Ten Conference Sixth Man of the Year award. He holds the single-game assist record at OSU for a 15-assist performance against George Mason in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 20, 2011.
Craft is one of three men in the Big Ten to earn Academic All-American honors. Michigan senior guard Zack Novak was named to the third team and Northwestern junior guard Drew Crawford was named to the second team.
Craft and the Buckeyes are next in action Sunday against No. 16 Wisconsin. Tip is set for 4 p.m at the Schottenstein Center.
