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Turner Battle

CLEVELAND, OH ­ Turner Battle (Kernersville, NC/East Forsyth) and Mark Bortz (Commerce Township, MI/Walled Lake Central) were named to the 2004 Academic All-MAC men's basketball team as voted on by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives. This is the second straight season that Battle was named to the team, while Bortz earns the honor for the first time.

Battle, a communication major, holds a 3.47 grade point average. A 2004 second-team All-MAC selection, he is the only player in the conference to be named to both the All-MAC and Academic All-MAC squads.

Battle led the Bulls in scoring (14.5 ppg), assists (4.1 apg) and steals (1.8 spg). After averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.5 steals in wins over Akron (1/28) and Ball State (2/1), the junior point guard was named the MAC Player of the Week as well as the MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week. This is the fifth postseason award garnered by Battle over his career. In 2002 he was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team and in 2003 he was named All-MAC Honorable Mention as well as to the Academic All-MAC squad.

Mark Bortz

Bortz, a management major, holds a 3.53 grade point average. The junior forward ranked third in the conference in blocked shots (41) and 12th in rebounding (5.7 rpg). With 86 career rejections, he has moved into third place all-time in blocked shots at UB. Bortz tallied four double-doubles on the season, including a 21-point, 15-rebound performance against Marshall on Feb. 7.

Both players played integral parts in UB's success during the 2003-04 season. The Bulls finished the year with a 17-12 overall record and an 11-7 conference mark - by far their best performance since joining the MAC in 1998.

2004 Academic All-MAC Men's Basketball Team

Turner Battle, Buffalo, Jr., 3.47 GPA, Communication

Mark Bortz, Buffalo, Jr., 3.53 GPA, Management

Andy Hipsher, Akron, Gr., 3.57 GPA, MBA

Matt McCollom, Ball State, Jr., 3.58 GPA, Business

Brian Snider, Western Michigan, So., 3.63 GPA, Mathematics