Gaito, an All-CCAA First Team selection, boasts a 3.37 GPA in International Studies and becomes a finalist for the Academic All-America Team that will be released following the NCAA Divison II National Championships, May 16-19 in Louisville, Ky.

The San Rafael, Calif.-native recently propelled the Tritons into the West Super Regional after going 4-1 with a 0.66 ERA at the West Region II tournament in Seaside, Calif. No. 6-seed UCSD fell to No. 3-seed Dixie State in its opening game on Friday, but rallied for consecutive wins over No. 7-seed Montana State-Billings and No. 2-seed Cal State Monterey Bay before taking down DSC twice on Sunday.

Gaito is 27-9 with a 1.21 ERA this season and holds UCSD career records for wins, saves, appearances, innings pitched, complete games and strikeouts.

UCSD travels to face top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills this Friday and Saturday in Carson, Calif. The winner of the best-of-three series advances to the NCAA National Championships the following week in Louisville.

The Tritons are the defending national champions.