SAN ANTONIO — Known on the court for his defensive prowess, St. Mary's University Men's Basketball player
Sebastian Mendoza also takes care of business in the classroom, earning Academic All-District honors by the CSC on Tuesday.
Mendoza, a senior from Riverside, Calif., is working on his master's degree in business administration with the Rattlers. He was a two-time selection to the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll at UT Martin, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies. Mendoza also earned Academic All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2021 while playing at San Jose State, and was on the Fall, 2024 Lone Star Commissioner's Honor Roll.
On the hardwood, Mendoza played in 28 of the team's 31 games, starting 27. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and had a 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio in 2024-25 with the Rattlers. He also served as the team's lockdown defender, getting paired with the team's top shooter.
The honor evaluates a player's contributions on and off the field. To qualify, a player must maintain a 3.50 GPA, and be a starter or key reserve player.
Academic All-American is a title reserved for college student-athletes who perform at an elite level in their chosen sport and in the classroom. The all-time list of 42,000+ Academic All-Americans includes major sports stars and some of the world's most accomplished individuals in medicine, business, science and the arts. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sports Communicators, Academic All-America is the longest-running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports at all NCAA levels, the NAIA, two-year colleges and Canadian institutions. Teams are announced year-round and amplified by CSC member colleges, universities, and conferences on a wide local, regional, national, and even international scope.
