May 26, 2006
LAURA KLINE NAMED
TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
KUTZTOWN, PA –
Kutztown University’s Laura Kline (sr. Reading/Reading), of
the field hockey team, has been named to the 2005-06 ESPN The
Magazine Academic All-District II women's at-large first team.
Kline |
Kline has a 4.0 grade point average as a special education
major. During the fall 2005 season, she was named to first-team
Division II All-America honors by National Field Hockey Coaches
Association (NFHCA). She set Kutztown’s single-season record with
13 assists, while scoring two goals as a midfielder. She was also
named to the 2005 PSAC Fall Top 10.
Kline
is a two-time Academic All-American, once each as a member of the
field hockey and track & field teams. She was a third-team at-large
Academic All-America, and second-team cross country/track & field
Academic All-America selection last year. She is a six-time dean’s
list, five-time PSAC Top 10, three-time NFHCA All-Academic Squad and
two-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete recipient. Last year, she was named
the PSAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as the East
Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
With
her selection to the first team, Kline is now on the ballot for the
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americaâ
Women’s At-Large Team, that is scheduled to be announced on
Thursday, June 15. Kline is also a candidate for the 2005-06 cross
country/track & field academic all-district team, which will be
announced June 2. As a member of the Golden Bear track & field team,
Kline was a 2005-06 PSAC Winter Top 10 recipient, PSAC indoor
champion in the 400-meter dash and an NCAA qualifier for the 400
hurdles at the outdoor championships.
The District II College Division consists of all NCAA
Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities
in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To be eligible, a student-athlete
must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 cumulative grade-point
average and a starter or significant reserve on her team.
May 26, 2006
KUTZTOWN’S MATT
MARADEO SIGNS WITH CHICAGO CUBS
KUTZTOWN, PA – Kutztown University baseball pitcher Matt Maradeo
(sr. Nesquehoning/Panther Valley) signed a contract Wednesday
night to become a member of the Chicago Cubs organization.
As a fifth-year senior, Maradeo was able to bypass the upcoming
first-year player draft (June 6-7) to sign early with the Cubs.
“They
offered me a great deal,” Maradeo said. “This is a great
opportunity, with a great organization, to continue my career. I
want to thank all of my coaches and teammates at Kutztown and wish
them the best of luck in the future.”
Maradeo
has received several honors for his performance this season. He was
a first-team American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and
second-team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA)
All-North Atlantic Region pick. He earned first-team
All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division
and first-team All-PSAC East honors this season as well. The right
hander was 7-3 with a 3.34 earned-run average in 72.2 innings
pitched. He struck out 88 batters. Since transferring to KU from
Lehigh-Carbon Community College prior to the 2005 season, Maradeo
has compiled a career ERA of 2.72, a school record.
On
Monday, Maradeo will head to Mesa, AZ, for a mini camp at the Cubs’
spring training complex. From there, he is likely to remain either
in Mesa with the Rookie League Arizona Cubs, or go to the
short-season A Boise Hawks of the Northwest League.
“I’m
just thrilled for Matt,” KU’s head coach Chris Blum said.
“He has been so solid for us these past two years, and he is so
deserving of continuing his playing career. I wish him the very
best of luck.”
Kutztown won a school record 44 games this season, ending with a
44-14 record. The Golden Bears won the PSAC Championship and
finished second in the North Atlantic Regional tournament, falling
one win short of advancing to the NCAA Division II Championship.
May 25, 2006
THREE GOLDEN BEARS
NAMED TO ALL-REGION BASEBALL TEAMS
KUTZTOWN, PA – Three members of the Kutztown University baseball team
have been named to a pair of all-region teams.
Outfielder Ryan Loper (jr. Boiling Springs/Cumberland Valley),
and pitchers Matt Maradeo (sr. Nesquehoning/Panther
Valley) and Mike McCardell (jr. West Chester/Henderson)
were named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and
the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All
North Atlantic Region teams.
Loper was a first-team selection on both, while Maradeo
earned first-team honors by the ABCA and second team honors by the
NCBWA. McCardell was a first-team selection by the NCBWA,
and second team by the ABCA.
Loper, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern
Division Player of the Year, led the team with a .404 batting
average (69-for-171). He drove in 45 runs and tallied six home
runs. Loper also scored 38 runs, hit 10 doubles and three triples
this season. Also a pitcher, Loper was 6-3 with a 3.02 earned-run
average and 48 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched. These are
Loper’s first All-Region honors.
Maradeo earns his first all-region honors at Kutztown. The
senior right hander was 7-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 72.2 innings
pitched. He struck out 88 batters. Since transferring to KU from
Lehigh-Carbon Community College prior to the 2005 season, Maradeo
has compiled a career ERA of 2.72, a school record. He was a
first-team All-PSAC East pick this season.
McCardell, the PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, earns his first
all-region honors this season. The junior right hander was 6-1 with
a KU school record 12 saves this season. He appeared in 22 games,
compiling a 2.58 ERA. He struck out 87 over 69.2 innings, while
opponents batted just .177 against him. He was also a first-team
All-PSAC East pick as a first baseman, hitting .381 (61-for-160)
with seven home runs and 31 RBI this season.
Kutztown, under fourth-year head coach Chris Blum, won a
school record 44 games this season, ending with a 44-14 record. The
Golden Bears won the PSAC Championship and finished second in the
North Atlantic Regional tournament, falling one win short of
advancing to the NCAA Division II Championship.
May 23, 2006
KU TO SEND FOUR
ATHLETES TO DIVISION II TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
KUTZTOWN, PA – Four members of the Kutztown University track & field
team will take part in the NCAA Division II Championships this
Thursday-Saturday, at Emporia, KS.
Alison Maurer (sr. Lewisberry/Northern York) and Christine
Procopio (sr. Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) will compete in the
hammer throw, while Laura Kline (jr. Reading/Reading) and
Tony Hegedus (jr. Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh) will take part in
the 400-meter hurdles.
Maurer is seeded sixth in the women’s hammer. Her top throw
this season, 177-3 1/2, was recorded at the Lehigh Games in April.
This is Maurer’s third trip to the NCAA outdoor championships. She
placed seventh last year to earn All-America honors. Maurer won the
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship in the
hammer, en route to earning the Most Outstanding Field Athlete Award
at the meet.
Procopio is seeded 11th in the hammer. Her top effort this
season, 171-1 1/2, was notched at the Lehigh Games in April. This
is Procopio’s first trip to the NCAA Championships.
The
women’s hammer throw event is scheduled to start at 6:45 PM (EDT) on
Thursday.
Kline is seeded 19th in the women’s 400 hurdles. Her
season-best time of 1:01.74 was recorded at the Lehigh Valley
Invitational in March. The preliminaries for her event will take
place at 8:10 PM on Thursday, with the finals on Saturday at 8:09
PM.
Hegedus is seeded 17th in the men’s 400 hurdles. His top time
this season, 52.40, was the winning time at the PSAC Championships.
The preliminaries for his event will take place at 8:25 PM on
Thursday, with the finals on Saturday at 8:19 PM.
May 22, 2006
MICHELLE GOBER
NAMED KU’S ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
KUTZTOWN, PA –
Kutztown University Director of Athletics Greg Bamberger has
named Michelle Gober as the school’s associate director of
intercollegiate athletics services.
|
Gober |
Gober,
who comes to Kutztown from Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, is
the full-time replacement for Lauri Mondschein, who stepped
down from the position in December. KU women’s volleyball coach
John Gump has since filled the role on an interim basis.
“Michelle’s experience at Gallaudet was very closely in tune with
the direction we see our associate athletics director position at KU
heading,” Bamberger said. “She has knowledge in all of the areas
for which we were searching. We are extremely happy to have
Michelle join us at KU.”
Gober
brings to Kutztown six years of experience in intercollegiate
athletics administration. She began her career at Gallaudet as head
athletic trainer, overseeing orthopedic evaluations, rehabilitation
programs and care for the Bisons’ student-athletes.
In
2003, Gober assumed the role of assistant athletic director at
Gallaudet, a position she held until coming to Kutztown. In that
role, Gober served as the senior woman administrator and advisor to
the student-athlete advisory committee. She also coordinated
compliance, budgeting and scheduling, among other duties, for the
athletic department. Gober also taught athletic training courses in
George Mason University’s accredited program as an adjunct
instructor.
In her
role at Kutztown, Gober will assist the director of athletics in
coordinating Kutztown’s 21-sport NCAA Division II program. Her main
duties will include her role as coordinator of compliance, as well
as oversight of contest scheduling and games management.
“I am
very excited to be coming to Kutztown,” Gober said. “It was a very
hard decision leaving Gallaudet. I had many good experiences
there, but I think Kutztown will be a good fit for me. The
chemistry of the athletics department is one of family which is what
I was used to at Gallaudet. I love the rural setting and the campus
is beautiful. Having my husband's family in the area for additional
support is also a big bonus.”
Gober
is a 1997 graduate of Shenandoah University (Winchester, VA), where
she received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, with a
concentration in sports medicine. While at Shenandoah, she was a
four-year member of the women’s basketball team, serving as captain
in 1996 and 1997. She also competed in lacrosse and softball, while
serving as a student athletic trainer from 1993-97.
Gober
received her master’s degree in exercise, fitness and health
promotion in 2004 from George Mason University (Fairfax, VA). She
is a licensed athletic trainer in Virginia and Pennsylvania and a
member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the
National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA).
A
native of Nokesville, VA, Gober is a graduate of Brentsville
District High School. She and her husband, Steve (a native of
Whitehall, PA), have one daughter, Gabrielle.
May
19, 2006
Five Golden Bears named to All-Region Softball Team
KUTZTOWN, PA – Five members of the Kutztown University softball team
have been named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches
Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic All-Region teams.
First
baseman Stephanie Denlinger (fr. Harleysville/Souderton) and
outfielder Adriane Willmer (jr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection) were
named to the first team. Third baseman Krista Cameron (fr. Formosa,
ONT/Sacred Heart), outfielder Ashley Fitzgerald (fr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection)
and designated player Kim Morrison (fr. Newmarket, ONT/Sir William
Mulock) earned spots on the second team.
Denlinger hit .356 (53-for-149) with a school record 16 home runs.
She had 42 runs batted in and 16 doubles, to go with 40 runs
scored. Her .785 slugging percentage is the second-highest in a
single-season at KU. She was previously named the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Rookie of the
Year, and first-team All-PSAC East.
Willmer
hit .341 (60-for-176) with 40 runs scored, nine doubles, three
triples and 11 RBI. She earns her second all-region honor, after
being named to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region second team in 2005. She
is a three-time All-PSAC East selection, including first-team honors
this season.
Cameron
shared the team lead with a .370 batting average (61-for-165) with
40 runs scored, 12 doubles, a triple and 10 home runs. She had 32
runs batted in and a .984 fielding percentage, committing just three
errors in 188 chances. She was named to second-team All-PSAC East
honors and the Mid-Atlantic Regional All-Tournament Team.
Fitzgerald also led the team in hitting with a .370 average
(57-for-154). She topped KU with 44 runs batted in, with eight
homers, 10 doubles and 20 runs scored.
Morrison hit .322 (49-for-152) with 32 runs scored. She had six
doubles, two triples, two home runs and 19 runs batted in. She led
the team with 14 sacrifice hits. Morrison was named the All-PSAC
East first-team as a utility player this season.
Kutztown, under head coach Judy Lawes, was 32-19 this season. The
Golden Bears finished third in the PSAC East with a record of 16-8.
KU went on to finish third at the PSAC Championship, and tied for 7th
at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.
May 17, 2006
KUTZTOWN’S JEFF
CRAIG NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
KUTZTOWN, PA – Kutztown University’s Jeff Craig (jr.
Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) has been named to the 2006 ESPN The
Magazine Academic All-District II baseball second team, in voting
conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Craig,
a speech/language pathology major, has a 3.80 grade-point average.
He is a 2004-05 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
Scholar-Athlete, a three-time dean’s list recipient, and received a
2005-06 KU Provost Award.
This
season, he was named to the All-PSAC East second team. He is
hitting .358 (59-of-165), having started 46 of 49 games played as a
right fielder. He has scored 39 runs, has 13 doubles, and leads KU
with eight home runs and 47 runs batted in.
Last
year, Craig was named to All-PSAC East first-team honors in his
first year at KU after transferring from Rowan University.
Craig
and the Golden Bears will open the 2006 NCAA Division II North
Atlantic Regional vs. Ohio Valley on Thursday, May 18, at West
Virginia State University.
May 15, 2006
KU BASEBALL TEAM
HEADED TO NORTH ATLANTIC REGIONALS
KUTZTOWN, PA – The
Kutztown University baseball team will take part in the NCAA
Division II North Atlantic Regional Championship this
Thursday-Sunday, May 18-21, at West Virginia State University in
Institute, W.Va.
Kutztown (40-12), the #2 seeded team, will play the opening game vs.
Ohio Valley (36-25), the #5, seed, on Thursday at 9:00 AM. The host
Yellow Jackets of WV State (43-7-1), the #1 seed, face
Pitt-Johnstown (33-16), the sixth seed, at 12:30 PM. Third-seeded
West Chester (34-17) will take on Shepherd (34-16), the #4 seed, at
4:00 PM.
If
Kutztown loses its first game, it will play on Friday at 9:00 AM vs.
the loser of the WV State/Pitt-Johnstown game. A win in its first
game and Kutztown will advance to face the winner of the West
Chester/Shepherd game on Friday at 4:00 PM.
Action
in the double-elimination tournament continues throughout the day on
Friday and Saturday, and concludes with the championship round on
Sunday. The winner of the regional advances to the Division II
College World Series in Montgomery, Ala., May 27-June 3.
Tickets
are $25 for a four-day tournament pass, $9 per-day pass, and $3 per
day. College Students are $10 for a four-day tournament pass.
Live Coverage of KU’s games: Kutztown will Webcast all of its games in the tournament. The
Webcasts can be accessed at
redzonemedia.com. (Please note the differentt address for KU’s
Webcasts). Coverage of KU’s games will be available at
kubears.com, however due to an anticipated network outage of the
Kutztown Website on Friday afternoon into Saturday, fans should also
look for coverage at
ncaasports.com, or West Virginia State’s tournament homepage (wvsuyellowjackets.com).
Complete recaps of Kutztown’s games will be available on the Golden
Bear Hotline at 610-683-1515 (option 1).
Kutztown
is making its sixth-straight, and seventh-overall appearance in the
North Atlantic Regional. Kutztown won the tournament in 2001, ’02
and ’04, while finishing third in ’99, 2003 and ’05. Kutztown’s
string of six straight regional appearances is not only the longest
active streak in the region, it matches Slippery Rock’s run of
six-straight regional berths from 1996-2001 as the longest-ever
streak of regional appearances among teams currently in the North
Atlantic Region.
KU will
enter this year’s regional with a record of 40-12 overall, setting a
school record for wins in a season. Kutztown is currently ranked
#10 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll.
Since falling to 6-7 on March 13, Kutztown has gone 34-5. The
Golden Bears are coming off their fifth Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) Championship (1966, ’99, 2002, ’05, ’06), thus
earning the PSAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship
tournament.
The Golden Bears are under the direction of fourth-year
head coach Chris Blum, who has a career record of 141-61.
Blum was named the 2006 PSAC East Coach of the Year.
The Golden Bears enter the championship tournament with
a balanced offensive attack and a steady pitching corps. Kutztown
has a .310 team batting average and ranks ninth in Division II with
a team earned-run average of 2.95.
Pitchers Matt Maradeo (jr. Nesquehoning/Panther
Valley), William Loskiewictz (sr. Philadelphia/Neumann-Garretti),
Ryan Loper (jr. Boiling Springs/Springfield) and Philip
Rummel (so. Exeter West-Mont Christian) comprise Kutztown’s
starting rotation. Mike McCardell (jr. West Chester/Henderson)
has served a dual role as a starter and as KU’s record-setting
closer.
Maradeo, a first-team All-PSAC East pitcher, is
7-3, with a 2.37 earned run average and 84 strikeouts in 68.1
innings pitched. Loskiewictz, a left hander, sports a 4-3
record, with a 4.21 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 57.2 innings. Loper
is 6-2, with a 2.60 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 55.1 innings.
Rummel is 4-3 with a 1.90 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 47.1
innings.
McCardell, the PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, has
a 6-0 record in seven starts, along with a single-season school
record 12 saves in 13 relief appearances. He has a 2.47 ERA and
has struck out 80 batters in 62.0 innings pitched.
Rounding out KU’s pitching staff are Derek Reis (so. Jim
Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) (2-0, 0.56 ERA), Kevin Morganti (so.
Muhlenberg/Muhlenberg) (4-0, 2.10), Christopher David (fr.
Fairless Hills/Conwell Egan-Catholic) (2-0, 3.06), Steve
Craig (fr. Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) (1-0, 4.12), Justin
Jachowicz (so. Summit Hill/Panther Valley) (3-1, 4.84)
and Chad Lightcap (fr. Boyertown/Boyertown) (1-0, 4.82).
Loper, the PSAC East Player of the Year, plays
center field when he’s not on the mound. He is hitting .408 with 33
runs, 42 RBI and six home runs. Fellow outfielder Jeff Craig
(jr. Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban), a second-team All-PSAC East
selection, hits .358 with 39 runs, eight home runs and 47 RBI.
Chad Lightcap (fr. Boyertown/Boyertown), Dan Gavlick (jr. Medford,
NJ/Shawnee), Garrison Rausch (so. Allentown/Parkland) and
Bryan Riggins (so. Glensmoore/Downingtown West) platoon in
left field. Lightcap, the PSAC East Rookie of the Year, is
hitting .317 with three homers and 32 RBI. Gavlick hits .297
with 13 RBI, Rausch hits .227, with 6 RBI, and Riggins
hits .269 with 14 RBI.
McCardell, a first-team All-PSAC East selection
at first base as well as pitcher, anchors the infield when he’s not
on the mound. The junior, who plays at both first and third base, is
hitting .403 with 29 RBI, 15 doubles and six home runs. Nate
Kranz (fr.
Silver Spring/Cumberland Valley), a second-team All-PSAC East pick, and Kyle Costello (sr.
Plains/Coughlin) share time at third base. Kranz is
hitting .356 with 29 RBI. Costello, who missed some early
games due to injury, is hitting .257 with 16 RBI and a home run.
First
baseman/designated hitter Paul Cashin (jr. Collingdale/Monsignor
Bonner) is hitting .325 with 14 RBI and two homers. John
Shade (jr. Reading/Muhlenberg) (13 runs, 1.000 fielding
percentage) sees action as a pinch runner and defensive replacement
at first.
Second
baseman Josh Fink (sr. Hatfield/North Penn) and short stop
Gary Stricker (sr. Croydon/Conwell-Egan) make up the double-play
tandem. The leadoff hitter, Fink is hitting .315 with 45
runs scored, and has been hit by pitches a school-record 21 times.
Stricker is hitting .256 with 33 runs scored, 24 RBI and
three homers. Kyle Kaschak (sr. New Providence/Solanco)
(.243, 3 RBI) provides depth in the infield.
Matt
Dierolf (so. Boyertown/Boyertown) and Matt Jones (so.
Lititz/Warwick) platoon at catcher. Dierolf is hitting
.198 with 18 RBI and a homer, while Jones is hitting .216
with nine RBI.
West
Virginia State is ranked #5 in the country in the latest
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll. The Yellow Jackets, under the
direction of head coach Cal Bailey, are the top hitting team
in Division II with a batting average of .376. The Yellow Jackets
also lead the nation in scoring (10.6 runs/game), home runs
(1.9/game) and slugging percentage (.634). The defending North
Atlantic Regional champions, WVSU is making its eight regional
appearance. The Yellow Jackets are led at the plate by IF Jeff
Miller (.475, 16 HR, 62 RBI), IF Ryan Taylor (.447, 15
HR, 66 RBI), OF Brandon Halstead (.436, 14 HR, 61 RBI) and IF
Kyle Jones (.404, 22 HR, 76 RBI). Zach Baldwin (7-0,
3.16 ERA, 59 K, 62.2 IP) and Andrew Davis (7-1, 3.80 ERA, 25
K, 45.0 IP) lead the pitching staff, which has a team ERA of 4.76.
West
Chester finished as the PSAC runners-up this season. The Golden
Rams, under head coach Matt Brainerd, make their sixth
regional appearance, including each of the past four seasons. West
Chester, which finished second in last year’s regional, is led by OF
Matt Cotellese (.399, 2 HR, 35 RBI), OF Sean Bond
(.397, 51 runs, 34 RBI), SS Joey Yeager (.363, 3 HR, 53 RBI)
and C Brett Wallace (.319, 6 HR, 50 RBI). The Rams hit .318 as a
team. Frank Gailey (7-3, 3.24 ERA, 64 K, 77.2 IP) and
Chris Powl (8-4, 3.69 ERA, 45 K, 70.2 IP) lead the pitching
staff, which has a 4.41 team earned-run average.
Shepherd is making its third NCAA Regional appearance, and its
first since 2002. The Rams, coached by Wayne Riser, have a
.347 team batting average. Shepherd is led by OF Collin Brown
(.469, 69 runs, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 24 stolen bases), 1B John Hawse
(.407, 12 HR, 58 RBI), and 3B Dirk Webb (.393, 14 HR, 62
RBI). With a team ERA of 4.35, Shepherd’s pitching staff is
anchored by Scott McCormick (8-1, 2.44 ERA, 29 K, 62.2 IP)
and Chris Anderson (7-2, 2.41 ERA, 51 K, 59.2 IP).
Ohio
Valley is making its first appearance in the Division II North
Atlantic Regional, after earning the automatic berth as the champion
of the West Virginia Intercollegiate athletic Conference (WVIAC).
The Fighting Scots, under head coach Matt Porter, have a
team batting average of .347. OVU is led by OF Wayne Toms (.382, 5
HR, 42 RBI), OF D.J. Schreckengost (.378, 9 HR, 56 RBI) and
IF Brad McConnachie (.359, 5 HR, 31 RBI). The pitching staff
is led by LHP Adam Copeland (7-6, 5.74 ERA, 40 K, 78.1 IP),
Jesse Young (6-1, 3.95 ERA, 41 K, 68.1 IP) and Derek Sidwell
(5-4, 4.39 ERA, 32 K, 55.1 IP). The Scots have a team ERA of 6.32.
Pitt-Johnstown also makes its first appearance in the North Atlantic
Regional. The Mountain Cats, under head coach Todd Williams,
have set a school record with 33 wins this season. UPJ is hitting .
330 as a team. The Cats are led by 1B Casey Long (.409, 17
HR, 63 RBI), SS Chris Turka (.407, 8 HR, 28 RBI) and OF
Matt Hanley (.395, 6 HR, 43 RBI) at the plate. With a team ERA
of 4.55, UPJ’s pitching staff is anchored by David Huey (8-0,
2.14 ERA, 37 K, 63.0 IP) and Chuck Boring (5-2, 3.97 ERA, 51
K, 45.1 IP).
Notes:
Kutztown is 3-2 vs. West Chester this season, including an 8-5 win
over the Rams in the PSAC Championship game…KU has not faced any of
the other regional qualifiers this season…KU last faced West
Virginia State in the 2004 regional, winning 13-2 and 6-4
decisions…Kutztown has not played Shepherd since the 2002 season, in
which KU was 2-1 vs. the Rams in the regional tournament…Kutztown’s
game vs. Ohio Valley is believed to be the first meeting between the
teams…KU has also not faced cross-state foe Pitt-Johnstown in some
time, if ever. There are no meetings on file between the programs
dating back to the 1970s, which is as far back as KU’s year-by-year
records date.
May 11, 2006
KUTZTOWN SWEEPS
PSAC EAST BASEBALL AWARDS
Six
named to All-PSAC East Honors
KUTZTOWN, PA –
Kutztown University’s baseball team swept the Player, Pitcher,
Rookie and Coach of the Year awards, while six players were named to
All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division
honors in voting conducted by the division’s coaches.
Loper |
McCardell |
Lightcap |
Blum |
Ryan
Loper (jr. Boiling Springs/Cumberland Valley) was named the
PSAC East Player of the Year, Mike McCardell (jr. West
Chester/Henderson) was named the Pitcher of the Year, Chad
Lightcap (fr. Boyertown/Boyertown) was named the Rookie of the
Year, and head coach Chris Blum was named the PSAC East Coach
of the Year.
The
Golden Bears swept the major PSAC East awards for just the second
time in program history, after accomplishing the sweep in 2002.
This year’s sweep includes a split Player and Pitcher of the Year
award, when in previous years only an Athlete of the Year was
awarded.
McCardell earned first-team All-PSAC East honors as a pitcher
and a first baseman. Loper, an outfielder, and pitcher
Matt Maradeo (sr. Nesquehoning/Panther Valley) also earned
first-team honors.
Second
baseman Josh Fink (sr. Hatfield/North Penn), third baseman
Nate Kranz (fr. Silver Spring/Cumberland Valley) and outfielder
Jeff Craig (jr. Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) were named to the
second team.
Loper earns his second-straight first-team honor. The
centerfielder leads PSAC East hitters and ranks fourth overall with
a .408 batting average (60-147). Among his 60 hits, 19 went for
extra-bases, including six home runs. He has scored 33 runs and
registered 42 RBI. Loper also ranks among league pitching leaders
with a 6-2 record and a 2.60 ERA (9th).
McCardell is an All-PSAC East performer for the first time. He
is KU’s first double all-conference performer since Chris Spinozzi
accomplished the feat in 1999. McCardell was clearly one of the
toughest pitchers to face this season. He has struck out 80 batters
in 62 innings (11.6/9 inn.), and leads the PSAC in saves (12, KU
school record) and opponent batting average (.170). He is 6-0 and
his 2.47 ERA places him seventh among league pitchers. McCardell is
hitting .403 (56-of-139) with 33 runs, 15 doubles, six homers and 29
RBI. The MVP of the PSAC Championship, McCardell earned saves in
three of Kutztown's four victories, giving up just one hit, no walks
and striking out six over 4.0 innings. He also hit .529 with five
doubles and three RBI in the tournament.
Maradeo is a first-time All-PSAC East selection. Maradeo has a
7-3 record, with a 2.37 ERA. He has 11 pitching appearances, with
two complete games. The senior right hander has struck out a PSAC-best
84 batters over 68.1 innings (11.1/9 inn). Opponents hit just .208
against him.
Fink
garnered his first All-PSAC East honor in his final season. The
second baseman is averaging .315 (51-of-162) as KU’s leadoff hitter,
with 45 runs scored, 14 doubles, two triples, a home run and 16
RBI. He has walked 24 times and been hit by a school-record 21
pitches.
Kranz is hitting .356 (42-of-118) at the plate, starting 34 of
48 games played at third base. The third baseman has scored 24
runs, with nine doubles, a home run and 29 RBI. Five of his RBI
came during the PSAC Championship tournament, including a four-RBI
effort against Slippery Rock on May 5.
Craig has been named to the All-PSAC East team in each of the
right fielder’s two seasons at KU, earning first-team honors last
year. This year, Craig is hitting .358 (59-of-165) with 39 runs
scored, 13 doubles, eight homers and a team-high 47 RBI.
Blum
earns his second PSAC East Coach of the Year honor in his fourth
year at the helm of the Golden Bear baseball program. He was
previously named coach of the year in 2004. KU has a record of
40-12, setting a school record for wins in a season. Blum’s squad
won the 2006 PSAC Championship, claiming the league’s automatic
berth to the NCAA North Atlantic Regional, May 18-21, in which KU
will compete for the sixth-straight season. During his tenure, Blum
is 141-61.
May 10, 2006
SIX GOLDEN BEARS
NAMED TO ALL-PSAC EAST SOFTBALL HONORS
Stephanie Denlinger Named Rookie of the Year
KUTZTOWN, PA – Six
members of the Kutztown University softball team have been named to
the 2006 All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division
teams, in voting conducted by the division’s coaches.
Denlinger |
Willmer |
Morrison |
Messina |
Cameron |
Weidensaul |
First
baseman Stephanie Denlinger (fr. Harleysville/Souderton) was
named the PSAC East’s Rookie of the Year, in addition to first-team
All-PSAC East honors. She was joined on the first team by
outfielder Adriane Willmer (jr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection)
and utility player Kim Morrison (fr. Newmarket, ONT/Sir William
Mulock). Second baseman Jackie Messina (so.
Allentown/Parkland), third baseman Krista Cameron (fr.
Formosa, ONT/Sacred Heart) and pitcher Rachel Weidensaul (so.
Ashland/Cardinal Brennan) were named to the second team.
Denlinger is Kutztown’s first PSAC East Rookie of the Year since
Kellie Evans earned the honor in 2000. Denlinger has set Kutztown’s
single-season record for home runs with 16, breaking the mark of 12
held by Evans (2002) and Jen Schock (1995). Denlinger has also tied
the single-season record for doubles with 16. She is hitting .361
(52-of-144) with 40 runs scored and 42 RBI.
Willmer earns her third All-PSAC East honor, after being named
to the first team in 2004 and the second team in 2005. KU’s leadoff
hitter, she is hitting .349 (59-of-169) with 39 runs scored, nine
doubles, three triples and 11 RBI.
Morrison earned a spot of the first-team as a utility player,
having played games at second base, short stop, outfield and
designated player. She is hitting .333 (49-of-147) with 32 runs
scored, six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 19 RBI. She
leads KU with 14 sacrifice hits.
Messina captured her first all-conference honor in her second
season at KU. Messina is hitting .252 (30-of-119) with 20 runs
scored, seven doubles, four homers and 18 RBI.
Cameron is hitting .365 (58-of-159) with 39 runs scored, 12
doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 30 RBI. Her nine homers are
the fourth-most in a single season at KU. Cameron also plays a
solid third base, committing just three errors in 185 fielding
chances at the hot corner (.984 fielding percentage).
Weidensaul earns her first All-PSAC honor. She has a 19-4
record with one save in 32 pitching appearances. She has a 1.84
earned-run average, with 12 complete games. Weidensaul has 71strike
outs in 137.0 innings pitched.
Kutztown, under head coach Judy Lawes, will open the 2006
NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship on Thursday when
it faces East Stroudsburg at 10:00 AM at Shippensburg University.
May 9, 2006
KUTZTOWN TENNIS
TEAMS HEADED TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
KUTZTOWN, PA – The Kutztown University tennis teams will travel to
Kansas City, MO for the NCAA Championships, May 10-13.
The
men’s team advanced to the championship after defeating Dowling,
5-1, in the first round and Queens (NY), 5-4, in the second round of
the NCAA East Regional. Kutztown will face St. Edwards (TX) in the
round of 16 on Wednesday at 1:30 PM.
The Golden Bears are making their fifth
consecutive appearance in the Division II round of 16. Last season,
the men tied for ninth place. KU’s men won their third-straight
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title this season. KU
has won six of the last seven PSAC Championships under head coach
Suresh Ramamurthi.
Harsh Sharma (jr. Calcutta, INDIA)
and Lukas Labitsch (fr.
Bruck an der Mur,
AUSTRIA)
lead the Golden Bear men. The two have teamed for a 11-1 record at
first doubles and 16-4 overall. KU’s #1 singles player is
Sanitago Baquerizo (fr.
Guayaquil, ECUADOR).
He is12-2 on the season in singles play. Sharma is 11-3
overall and will play at second singles for Kutztown.
The Golden Bears’ are deep in singles players. Radoslaw
Hlubinski (sr. Warsaw, POLAND) is Kutztown’s third singles man.
He is 12-5. Labitsch gets the nod at fourth singles and is
11-2 this year, including clinching the win over Queens to advance
to the round of 16. Somdeep Appineni (jr. Hyderabad, INDIA),
7-4 this season, will appear at fifth singles. Rounding out the
singles lineup for Kutztown is Rubens Vianna (so.
Belo Horizonte,
BRAZIL),
who is 10-4 this season.
Baquerizo
and Hlubinski will be the duo at second doubles and
Appineni and Vianna will start at third.
Baquerizo
and Hlubinski are 10-2 this season.
Appineni
and Vianna have a 10-4 overall record.
The Kutztown women advanced to the round of 16 after
defeating California (PA), 5-4, in round one and Bryant, 5-2, in the
second round. The Golden Bears will face Abilene Christian (TX) on
Wednesday at 8:00 AM. Kutztown is making it second-straight
appearance in the round of 16. Last year marked it first
appearance.
Kutztown is led by senior Kerstin Kloeffer (sr.
Ludwigs Hafen, GERMANY). She is 10-4 at first singles and 18-8
overall on the year. KU’s #2 singles player, Magaly Peter (fr.
Mundolsheim, FRANCE), is a perfect 15-0 at #2 singles matches
and 19-1 overall this season. Priya Pachkawde (jr. Nasik, INDIA)
is the Golden Bears third singles starter and will enter the
round of 16 with a 15-4 overall record. At fourth singles is
Jharna Nansi (jr. Maharashtra, INDIA), who is 11-3. Lauren
Losoncy (sr. Shillington/Governor Mifflin) gets the start at
fifth singles. She is 13-5 this season. Kristen Bodalski (sr.
Media/Cardinal O’Hara) completes the Kutztown lineup at No. 6
singles with a 3-8 record.
The
doubles lineup for the Golden Bear women features Kloeffer
and Pachkawde at #1. That duo is 7-4 this season. At second
doubles, Nansi and Peter are a perfect 15-0 this
season. Third doubles has Losoncy and Bodalski, who
are 5-9 in doubles play.
The
NCAA championships are single elimination brackets. The
championship match is set for Saturday, May 13. For more
information and links to the NCAA homepage, visit kubears.com
May 8, 2006
KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY
SOFTBALL EARNS REGIONAL BERTH
KUTZTOWN, PA – The
Kutztown University softball team’s 2006 season will continue this
week at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional playoffs at Shippensburg
University Thursday-Monday, May 11-15.
The
Golden Bears (32-17) are the #3 seed in the eight-team regional
bracket. Lock Haven (46-3), which won the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) title, is the #1 seed, followed by #2
Shippensburg (40-18), #3 Kutztown, #4 Bloomsburg (35-15), #5
California {PA} (24-15), #6 East Stroudsburg (26-25), #7
Millersville (29-19) and #8 North Carolina Central (34-14).
Kutztown will face East Stroudsburg in the first game of the
tournament, Thursday at 10:00 AM. Shippensburg plays Millersville
at noon, followed by Bloomsburg vs. California at 2:00 PM and Lock
Haven vs. NC Central at 4:00 PM.
Games
in the double-elimination tournament continue all day Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, with the final elimination game and
championship round. If a second championship game must be played,
it is scheduled for Monday.
Kutztown is tentatively scheduled to
Webcast all of its games in the tournament. The Webcasts can be
accessed at kubears.com.
Tickets
for the tournament will be $5 for general admission, $3 for
seniors/students, $2 children under 12, per day. All-regional
passes can be purchased for $12.
The
Golden Bears are under the direction of Judy Lawes, in her
19th season at the helm. Lawes recently became the first
coach in KU history to reach the 500-win plateau. She has a career
mark of 504-328. This will be KU’s ninth overall – and fourth
straight – appearance in the NCAA Championships since the inception
of the NCAA Division II Championship in 1982 (1994, ’95, ’96, 2000,
’01, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06). KU is looking for its first-ever regional
title.
Kutztown has ridden a strong offense punch throughout the season.
The Golden Bears sport a team batting average of .316 and 53 home
runs (both 2nd in PSAC). KU’s home run total shattered the previous
single season KU record of 30 dingers. KU’s pitching staff has
notched a respectable team earned-run average of 2.73 (6th in PSAC).
Rookie
sensation Stephanie Denlinger (fr. Harleysville/Souderton)
leads Kutztown’s potent offense. Denlinger, a first baseman,
is batting .361 and has 16 home runs and 42 runs batted in. She set
KU’s single-season record for home runs, and shares the
single-season mark for doubles (16). Third baseman Krista
Cameron (fr. Formosa, ONT/Sacred Heart) is hitting .365, with 39
runs scored, nine home runs and 30 RBI. Second baseman Jackie
Messina (so. Allentown/Parkland) and short stop Lindsay
Bennett (so. Rising Sun, MD/Rising Sun) round out the infield.
Messina is hitting .252 with four home runs and 18 RBI.
Bennett has a .272 average with eight homers and 30 RBI.
Ashley Fitzgerald (fr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection) and
Adriane Willmer (jr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection) anchor the
outfield. Fitzgerald brings a .376 average, along with eight
homers and 44 RBI, to the tournament. Willmer, the leadoff
hitter, has a .349 average, with 39 runs scored and 11 RBI.
Kathy Gregg (so. Narvon/Garden Spot) completes the outfield.
She is hitting .237 with one homer and eight RBI.
Utility
player Kim Morrison (fr. Newmarket, ONT/Sir William Mulock)
has started in the infield, outfield and designated player. She is
hitting .3333 with 32 runs scored, two homers and 19 RBI. Dani
Spalik (jr. Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) handles the
catching. She is hitting .273 with three homers and nine RBI.
Jennie Lincoln (so. Stafford, VA/North Stafford) (.279, 2 HR, 6
RBI) and Caitlin Hague (Lansdale/North Penn) (.371) provide
bats off the bench.
Rachel Weidensaul (so. Ashland/Cardinal Brennan) and Stacey
Denlinger (sr. Harleysville/Souderton) have taken the ball for
the bulk of KU’s pitching assignments. Weidensaul is 19-4
with a 1.84 ERA. She has 12 complete games and eight shutouts,
while striking out 71 batters over 137.0 innings pitched.
Denlinger, Stephanie’s older sister, has an 11-6 record with a
2.22 ERA. She has 12 complete games and three shutouts, while
fanning 91 batters in 129.0 innings. Stephanie Denlinger
also sees time in the pitcher’s circle, with a 2-7 record and 4.38
ERA in 40.0 innings.
All of
KU’s opponents will be familiar to the Golden Bears. Six of the
other seven teams in the Regional are PSAC schools, while The Golden
Bears defeated North Carolina Central, the Central Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (CIAA) Champion, in a non-conference game on
March 10.
Lock
Haven, the #1 seed in the tournament, won the PSAC title with a
perfect 3-0 record. LHU improved to 46-3 overall, after a 20-0 PSAC
West slate. The Lady Eagles, who have won 35 straight games, are
coached by 7th-year mentor Kelley Green. LHU is led at the plate by
SS Courtney Hughes (.439, 54 runs, 18 HR, 57 RBI), P/DP Kristin Erb
(.385, 7 HR, 31 RBI) and C Amanda Roosa (.379, 4 HR, 22 RBI). Erb
has been masterful as a pitcher as well. She has a 27-0 record with
a paltry 0.16 earned run average and 1794 strikeouts in 178.0
innings. Jeanette Middleston (14-2, 1.04 ERA, 125 K, 100.2 IP) is
also a key contributor. Lock Haven defeated Kutztown, 5-1, in the
PSAC championship. It was the only time the teams met this season.
The Lady Eagles have won one regional title, in 1988.
Shippensburg, the #2 seed, finished as the runner-up at PSACs.
The Lady Raiders, 40-18, finished second in the PSAC East with a
17-7 record. The Lady Raiders, under the direction of fifth-year
head coach Bob Brookens, have won two regional titles (2003-04). SU
is led by OF Heather Chantiles (.493, 49 runs, 19 RBI), C/DP
Rachelle Wedell (.305, 1 HR, 27 RBI) and SS Kristen Marll (.310, 11
RBI). Lead the pitching staff are Kelley Tiesi (23-8, 0.69 ERA, 334
K, 213.2 IP) and Danielle Shields (15-7, 1.23 ERA, 169 K, 154.0
IP). Shippensburg won four of five vs. the Golden Bears this
season, with KU earning a split at home and dropping both at SU.
Shippensburg defeated KU, 1-0, on Saturday at the PSAC
Championships, with Shields pitching a perfect game.
Bloomsburg, the #4 seed, is 35-15 overall and was the PSAC East
regular season champion with an 18-6 record. Bloomsburg, making
its’ 24th consecutive NCAA appearance, is under the direction of
28th year head coach Jan Hutchinson. The defending Mid-Atlantic
Region champions, Bloomsburg has won nine regional crowns. The
Huskies are led by pitcher/designated player Tara Reed (.358, 39
runs 7 HR, 30 RBI), C Alyson Taylor (.302, 11 HR, 23 RBI), OF Lisa
Bohner (.299, 5 HR, 26 RBI), and 1B Stacy Krupiewski (.295, 3 HR, 26
RBI) at the plate. Reed (14-5, 1.24 ERA, 147 K, 124.2 IP) and
Ashley Lynn (16-8, 1.46 ERA, 151 K, 149.0 IP) share the pitching
duties. Kutztown is 3-2 against Bloomsburg this season. The teams
split the two regular-season doubleheaders, and KU defeated BU 3-0
in the PSAC playoffs.
California (PA), the #5 seed, enters the tournament with
a record of 23-15, including a 13-7 record in the PSAC West. The
Lady Vulcans, under head coach Rick Bertagnolli, have won five
regional titles (1994, ’96, ’97, ’98, ’99). Offensively, the
Vulcans are led by 2B Jennifer Doty (.385, 2 HR, 18 RBI), OF Debbie
Tedesco (.365, 3 HR, 23 RBI), SS Megan Timpf (.345, 5 HR, 20 RBI)
and 1B Becky Mezyk (.317, 3 HR, 27 RBI). Mezyk also pitches for Cal
(13-6, 2.17 ERA, 91 K, 116.1 IP). Katie Francart (4-8, 3.17 ERA, 93
K, 105.0 IP) also sees time in the pitcher’s circle. Kutztown
defeated California, 7-3, in the teams’ only meeting this season at
the PSAC Championships.
East
Stroudsburg, the #6 seed, has a 26-25 record, including a mark
of 10-14 in the PSAC East. The Warriors, under fourth-year head
coach Jamie Brown, make their first Mid-Atlantic Regional
appearance. ESU is led by OF Ashley Miller (.383, 3 HR, 26 RBI), SS
Jennifer Veronesi (.364, 9 HR, 32 RBI) and C Eliza Morosco (.305, 1
HR, 20 RBI). Christine Wontroba (15-13, 3.02 ERA, 129 K, 163.2 IP)
handles the bulk of ESU’s pitching chores. Kutztown swept the four
regular-season meetings vs. East Stroudsburg.
Millersville, the #7 seed, has a 19-19 record, finishing 12-12
in the PSAC East. The Marauders, under 13th-year head coach Kathy
Cummings, are making their first-ever NCAA regional appearance. MU
is led at the plate by 3B Meghan Sinback (.365, 3 HR, 27 RBI) and SS
Erin Hepner (.338, 6 HR, 38 RBI). Emily Flieger (12-4, 2.04 ERA, 54
K, 120.0 IP) and Jess Vonada (10-9, 2.56 ERA, 67 K, 125.2 IP) share
the pitching duties. Millersville won three of the four meetings
vs. KU during the regular season.
North Carolina Central, the #8 seed, is 35-14 overall. The Lady
Eagles, under the direction of head coach Larry Keen, won the CIAA’s
conference championship, this earning an automatic berth to the
Mid-Atlantic Regional. It is NC Central’s first regional
appearance. The Eagles are led at the plate by SS Asha Sutton
(.509, 6 HR, 71 RBI), IF Sophia Blue (.497, 1 HR, 49 RBI), OF Jameka
Little (.473, 6 HR, 46 RBI) and 1B Casey Rodriguez (.429, 14 HR, 85
RBI). Clarisse Steans (20-6, 2.84 ERA, 131 K, 165.1 IP) and Stacey
Greene (11-8, 3.17 ERA, 92 K, 115.0 IP) share the pitching chores.
KU defeated NC Central, 13-5, in the Golden Bears’ season opener on
March 10.
May 3, 2006
KU MEN’S TENNIS SET
TO HOST NCAA REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
KUTZTOWN, PA – The
Kutztown University men’s tennis team will host an NCAA Division II
East Region first and second-round tournament on Thursday and
Friday, May 4-5 at Keystone Courts.
There are 16 men’s
first- and second-round tournaments in the eight regions, two each
per region, throughout the country. The winner of each tournament
advances to the finals in Kansas City, MO, with the Kansas City
Sports Commission and Rockhurst University serving as co-hosts, May
10-13.
In the first round, third-seeded Queens
(19-3) faces #6 seed Bentley (16-11) at noon on Thursday.
Second-seeded Kutztown (12-2) matches up against #7 Dowling (6-4) at
3:00 PM. The winners will face each other on Friday at 1:00 PM.
Top seeded Concordia (NY) hosts the other East Regional.
The
winner of the regional at Kutztown will face the winner of the
Central Regional being held at St. Edwards (TX) College in the round
of 16.
The Golden Bears are making their ninth
consecutive appearance in the NCAA Regional, having appeared in the
tournament every year since 1998. KU has won the East Regional in
each of the past four seasons to advance to the Division II round of
16. KU’s men won their third-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) title this season. KU has won six of the last
seven PSAC Championships under head coach Suresh Ramamurthi.
Harsh Sharma (jr. Calcutta, INDIA)
and Lukas Labitsch (fr.
Bruck an der Mur,
AUSTRIA)
lead the Golden Bear men. The two have teamed for a 10-0 record at
first doubles and 15-3 overall. #1 Sanitago Baquerizo (fr.
Guayaquil,
ECUADOR)
will be at first singles. He claimed the PSAC individual
championship last weekend and is 12-1 on the season in singles
play. Sharma is 11-2 overall and will play at second singles
for Kutztown.
The Golden Bears’ are deep in singles players. Radoslaw
Hlubinski (sr. Warsaw, POLAND) will play third singles in the
tournament. He is 10-5. Labitsch gets the nod at fourth
singles and is 10-2 this year. Somdeep Appineni (jr. Hyderabad,
INDIA), 6-4 this season, will appear at fifth singles. Rounding
out the singles lineup for Kutztown is Rubens Vianna (so.
Belo Horizonte, BRAZIL), who is 8-4 this season.
Baquerizo
and Hlubinski will be the duo at second doubles and
Appineni and Vianna will start at third.
Baquerizo
and Hlubinski are 9-1 this season. Appineni
and Vianna won the PSAC doubles
championship last weekend. They have a 9-3 overall record.
Queens College (19-3) earned its fifth
consecutive appearance at the NCAA Regional. Queens is led by
junior Wojciech Stuchlik.
Bentley College
(16-11) is making its first appearance at the NCAA Regional since
1996. The Falcons are led by Greg Avola and Greg Maloomoian in
doubles. The duo has a perfect 11-0 record this season. Maloomian
and Avola are also Bentley’s top singles players, each with a 10-1
record.
Dowling (6-4) enters the NCAA Regional ranked #6
in the region. It is making its fifth regional appearance,
including the last three seasons. Gustavo Sanchez and Willem Jansen
Van Rensburg lead the Golden Lions in doubles play. Sanchez is
Dowling’s #1 singles player.
May 3, 2005
GOLDEN BEAR WOMEN
TRAVEL TO BRYANT FOR NCAA EAST REGIONAL
KUTZTOWN, PA – The Kutztown University women’s tennis team will
travel to Bryant College for the NCAA Division II East Region first-
and second-round tournament on Friday and Saturday, May 5-6.
There are 16 women’s first- and
second-round tournaments in the eight regions, two per region,
throughout the country. The winner of each tournament advances to
the finals in Kansas City, MO, with the Kansas City Sports
Commission and Rockhurst University serving as co-hosts, May 10-13.
Kutztown (10-3), the #3 seeded team in the region, will face
sixth-seeded California (PA) in the first round at noon on Friday.
Bryant (16-3), the #2 team in the region, will face seventh-seeded
Philadelphia (15-5) in the second match at 3:00 PM. The winners
meet in the second round on Saturday at noon. Top seeded Bloomsburg
is the host of the other east Regional.
The winner of the regional at Bryant will face the
winner of the Central Regional being held at Abilene Christian (TX)
University in the round of 16.
The
Golden Bear women make their third-straight NCAA Regional
appearance, after winning their first regional title last year.
Kutztown lost to California, 5-4, in the semifinals of the
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament.
Kerstin Kloeffer (sr. Ludwigs Hafen, GERMANY)
will play first singles. She is 9-3 at first singles and 17-7
overall on the year. KU’s #2 singles player, Magaly Peter (fr.
Mundolsheim, FRANCE), is a perfect 13-0 at #2 singles matches
and 17-1 overall this season. Priya Pachkawde (jr. Nasik, INDIA)
will play at third singles and enters the NCAA regional at
14-4. At fourth singles is Jharna Nansi (jr. Maharashtra, INDIA),
who is 9-3. Lauren Losoncy (sr. Shillington/Governor Mifflin)
gets the start at fifth singles. She is 12-5 this season.
Kristen Bodalski (sr. Media/Cardinal O’Hara) completes the
Kutztown lineup at No. 6 singles with a 3-6 record.
The doubles lineup for the Golden Bear women features
Kloeffer and Pachkawde at #1. That duo is 6-3 this
season. At second doubles, Nansi and Peter are a
perfect 13-0 this season and won the Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) doubles championship last weekend. Third doubles
has Losoncy and Bodalski, who are 5-7 in doubles
play.
Bryant University
(16-3) is making its third consecutive appearance at the NCAA
Regional. Bryant is led by Sacha Solomon, who has a 12-2 record at
#1 singles.
Philadelphia University
(15-5) is making its first appearance at the NCAA Regional.
Philadelphia is led by Maddie Smith and Amanda Frantz. Smith has a
12-8 record at #1 singles while Frantz has posted a 17-5 record at
#2 singles. The duo is also the #1 doubles pair with a record of
16-4.
California {PA} (17-8) is making its third
appearance in four years at the NCAA Regional. The Vulcans are led
by the #1 singles player in the region, Inga Chilingaryan. She is
the PSAC singles champions for 2005-06.
May
3, 2006
GOLDEN BEARS PREPARE FOR PSAC TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
KUTZTOWN, PA –
The Kutztown University track & field
teams will travel to California University of Pennsylvania for the
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Outdoor Championships
this Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6.
The
competition kicks off on Thursday morning at 10:00 AM with the first
day of the decathlon and heptathlon. Action continues on Friday at
8:00 AM, with the finals of the 10,000, trials for the remainder of
the track events and finals for eight field events. On Saturday,
field events begin at 9:00 AM, with opening ceremonies at 11:00 AM,
followed by the finals for the track events.
Kutztown University’s women’s track & field team hopes to defend its
2005 outdoor championship, which was the program’s third outdoor
title. The team is also coming off its third-straight PSAC indoor
championship this past winter.
The men’s team, which has won six Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) titles, placed second at last year’s PSAC
Outdoor Championship, its first top-two finish since winning
three-straight crowns from 2000-02. The Golden Bears also placed
third at this year’s indoor championship.
KU is under the guidance of head coach Brian
Mondschein, in his 14th year at the helm of the Golden Bears'
track & field program. Mondschein will be coaching in his final
PSAC Championship after announcing that he will step down from his
role at the conclusion of this season. Mondschein’s teams have won
11 PSAC indoor and outdoor championships.
The men’s team is lead by Matt Carroll (sr. Schwenksville/Perkiomen
Valley) and Tony Hegedus (jr. Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh).
Carroll enters the PSAC Championships as the top seed in the
400-meter dash. Carroll’s conference-best time is 48.33, which he
ran earlier this season at the Shamrock Invitational in Conway,
S.C. Hegedus will be the second seed in the 400 hurdles
after running an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 52.81 at the
Shamrock Invitational.
Both runners will
also compete on the top-seeded 4x400 relay team, along with
teammates Steve Hixson (so. Coopersburg/Southern Lehigh)
and Kendel Dixon (fr. Atglen/Octorara). The same four
runners won the event in February at the PSAC Indoor Track and Field
Championships.
In the pole vault,
Steve Winters (sr. Harrisburg/Cedar Cliff) earned the top
seed by clearing 15-7 at the Penn Relays. Mike Provenzano (sr.
Carlisle/Carlisle) will be seeded third after clearing 15-0 at
the Shamrock Invitational. Winters and Provenzano took
first and second at the PSAC Indoor Championships.
Michael Turner (fr.
Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg)
has the fourth seed
in the long jump entering this weekend’s competition with his
season-best 23-4 leap recorded at the Muhlenberg Invitational. The
distance was an NCAA provisional mark for the freshman.
Thrower Steve
Tyson (so. Bridgeport/Upper Merion) is seeded in the top three
in a trio of events. Tyson is the defending champion in the
shot put. He is seeded second this season, with his best toss of
51-9 at the PSAC East Challenge. Tyson will also be the
fourth-seed in the discus, and fifth-seed in the hammer.
Ian Clark (so.
Troy, NH/Monadnock Regional)
is the
third-seed in the decathlon. Clark notched a total of 5,796
points at the Golden Bear Multis earlier this season. Clark
finished third in the pentathlon at this year’s PSAC Indoor
Championships.
Kutztown’s 4x100
relay team, composed of Turner, Dixon, Hixson and Justin
Gibbs (so. Pottstown/Pottstown), captured a second seed in the
PSAC meet by running a 42.91 at the Lehigh Games.
On the women’s side, the Golden Bears have
three top seeds. Laura Kline (jr. Reading/Reading), Alison
Maurer (sr. Lewisbury/N. York) and Renee Marchand (jr.
Hawley/Wallenpaupack) have all earned top seeds in their events
going into this weekend’s PSAC Outdoor Championships.
Kline is the defending champion in the 400
hurdles, but is ranked second in that event with a time of 1:02.07,
which is an NCAA provisional performance. She is the top seed in
the 400, with a season-best of 56.85. She will face a tough field
of competitors, including teammate and third-seed Doofan
Tor-Agbidye (fr. Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg).
Maurer will finally get to compete for a PSAC
championship in the hammer, which is making its debut this season as
a PSAC event. Maurer earned All-America honors in the hammer at
last year’s NCAA Championship, and is the top seed in the PSAC with
a distance of 177-3 at the Lehigh Games. Teammate Christine
Procopio (sr.
Oakland, NJ/Indian
Hills) earned the second seed in the event with a toss of 171-1. That
distance is also an NCAA provisional mark for the senior.
In the Heptathlon, Marchand earned the top seed
with a performance of 4,253 points at the Golden Bear Multis. She
won the event last year, while also winning the indoor pentathlon at
PSACs this winter.
Marchand
was also part
of the first place 4x400m relay (3:53.01).
Tor-Agbidye, Kline, Katie Quinn (fr. Glenolden/Interboro) and
Jewel Daye (fr. Philadelphia/Central High) make up the Golden
Bears’ second-seeded 4x100 relay team. The four runners logged a
time of 48.67 at the Lehigh Games to earn their place in the PSAC
lineup.
The
team of Daye, Tor-Agbidye, Marchand, and
Kline will try to defend last year’s PSAC Championship in the
4x400 relay for the Golden Bears. Although Marchand and
Kline are the only remaining members from the Championship team,
the second-seeded team placed second at the PSAC Indoor
Championships in February.
May
2, 2006
KUTZTOWN SOFTBALL
HEADS TO LOCK HAVEN FOR PSAC PLAYOFFS
KUTZTOWN, PA – The
Kutztown University softball team will head to Lock Haven for the
2006 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Playoffs this
Thursday-through-Saturday, May 4-6.
The
Golden Bears, in search of their first PSAC tournament crown,
finished their regular season with a 30-15 overall record, 16-8 in
the PSAC East. KU is the No. 3 seed in the East. The Golden Bears
will face California (PA), the No. 2 seed in the West, in the first
contest of the six-team, double-elimination tournament on Thursday
at 10:00 AM at Lock Haven University’s Lawrence Field.
Should KU win, the Golden Bears would face Bloomsburg (PSAC
East #1) at 2:00 PM. A loss and KU will play again at 10:00 AM
Friday vs. the loser of Thursday’s noon game between Shippensburg
(East #2) and Indiana (PA) (West #3). Lock Haven (West #1) faces
the winner of the IUP/Shippensburg game at 4:00 PM Thursday.
The
tournament continues all day Friday and concludes Saturday with the
championship round. Tickets for each day of the tournament are
$7.00 for adults and $2.00 for students while an all-tournament pass
can be purchased for $18.00 for adults and $5.00 for students.
Spectators will also be charged $2.00 for parking. Spectators
should enter through the gate by the scoreboard at Hubert Jack
Stadium/Charlotte Smith Field with parking available in the stadium
lot.
The
winner of the PSAC Championship will receive the conference’s
automatic bid to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. The eight-team
regional is scheduled for May 12-15 at the highest regional seed.
Kutztown has ridden a strong offense punch throughout the season.
The Golden Bears sport a team batting average of .322 and 52 home
runs (both 2nd in PSAC). KU’s home run total shattered the previous
single season KU record of 30 dingers. KU’s pitching staff has
notched a respectable team earned-run average of 2.83 (7th in PSAC).
The
Golden Bears are under the direction of Judy Lawes, in her
19th season at the helm. Lawes recently became the first
coach in KU history to reach the 500-win plateau. She has a career
mark of 502-326.
Rookie
sensation Stephanie Denlinger (fr. Harleysville/Souderton)
leads Kutztown’s potent offense. Denlinger, a first baseman,
leads the team and ranks sixth in the PSAC with a .385 batting
average. She shares the PSAC lead and set KU’s single-season record
for home runs with 16. Denlinger has added 42 RBI and 16
doubles (tied-school record) and an .877 slugging percentage. She
has drawn a team-high 24 walks. Third baseman Krista Cameron
(fr. Formosa, ONT/Sacred Heart) is hitting .367 with eight home
runs and 28 RBI. Second baseman Jackie Messina (so.
Allentown/Parkland) and short stop Lindsay Bennett (so.
Rising Sun, MD/Rising Sun) round out the infield. Messina
is hitting .264 with four home runs and 17 RBI. Bennett has
a .258 average with eight homers and 29 RBI.
Ashley Fitzgerald (fr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection) and
Adriane Willmer (jr. Kitchener, ONT/Resurrection) anchor the
outfield. Fitzgerald brings a .377 average, along with eight
homers and 41 RBI, to the tournament. Willmer, the leadoff
hitter, has a .348 average, with 38 runs scored and 11 RBI.
Kathy Gregg (so. Narvon/Garden Spot) completes the outfield.
She is hitting .269 with one homer and eight RBI.
Utility player Kim Morrison (fr. Newmarket, ONT/Sir William
Mulock) has started in the infield, outfield and designated
player. She is hitting .338 with 30 runs scored, two homers and 19
RBI. Dani Spalik (jr. Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) handles
the catching. She is hitting .290 with three homers and nine RBI.
Jennie Lincoln (so. Stafford, VA/North Stafford) (.286, 2 HR,
6 RBI) and Caitlin Hague (Lansdale/North Penn) (.387) provide
bats off the bench.
Rachel Weidensaul (so. Ashland/Cardinal Brennan) and Stacey
Denlinger (sr. Harleysville/Souderton) have taken the ball for
the bulk of KU’s pitching assignments. Weidensaul is 18-4
with a 1.92 ERA. She has 11 complete games and seven shutouts,
while striking out 64 batters over 124.0 innings pitched.
Denlinger, Stephanie’s older sister, has a 10-5 record with a
2.39 ERA. She has 11 complete games and three shutouts, while
fanning 83 batters in 117.1 innings. Stephanie Denlinger
also sees time in the pitcher’s circle, with a 2-6 record and 3.98
ERA in 38.2 innings.
California (PA) enters the tournament with a record of 23-13,
including a 13-7 record in the PSAC West. The Lady Vulcans, under
head coach Rick Bertagnolli, have won six PSAC Championships,
including five straight from 1996-2000. Offensively, the Vulcans
are led by 2B Jennifer Doty (.393, 2 HR, 19 RBI), SS Megan Timpf
(.366, 5 HR, 19 RBI), OF Debbie Tedesco (.352, 3 HR, 20 RBI) and 1B
Becky Mezyk (.304, 3 HR, 24 RBI). Mezyk also pitches for Cal, with a
13-5 record, 2.16 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 108.1 innings. Katie
Francart (4-7, 2.69 ERA, 89 K, 100.1 IP) also sees time in the
pitcher’s circle. Kutztown and California did not meet in the 2006
regular season. The Golden Bears won the team’s only meeting last
year, 4-2 in the PSAC tournament.
Bloomsburg, the #1 seed in the East, brings a 35-13 overall and
18-6 PSAC East mark to Lock Haven. The Huskies, under 28th year
head Jan Hutchinson, have won 14 PSAC titles. Kutztown and
Bloomsburg split their four meetings this season, with both teams
sweeping doubleheaders at home. The Huskies are led by
pitcher/designated player Tara Reed (.355, 39 runs 7 HR, 30 RBI), OF
Lisa Bohner (.310, 5 HR, 26 RBI), C Alyson Taylor (.309, 10 HR, 21
RBI) and 1B Stacy Krupiewski (.300, 3 HR, 26 RBI) at the plate.
Reed has carried the team as a pitcher as well (14-4, 1.15 ERA, 142
K, 121.2 IP).
Lock Haven, the #1 seed from the West, was 43-3 overall and a
perfect 20-0 in the PSAC West in the regular season. The Lady
Eagles, ranked #5 in the nation, are coached by 7th-year mentor
Kelley Green. LHU is led at the plate by SS Courtney Hughes (.446,
51 runs, 16 HR, 53 RBI), 1B Danielle Fraser (.391, 5 HR, 31 RBI),
P/DP Kristin Erb (.387, 7 HR, 28 RBI), C Amanda Roosa (.368, 4 HR,
22 RBI), and 3B Sarah Norris (.349, 12 HR, 36 RBI). Erb has been
masterful as a pitcher as well. She has a 24-0 record with a paltry
0.13 earned run average and 173 strikeouts in 156.0 innings.
Jeanette Middleston (14-2, 1.04 ERA, 125 K, 100.2 IP) is also a key
contributor. KU and LHU were scheduled to play a doubleheader on
April 17, but it was rained out. The teams played three times last
year, with LHU winning each time.
Shippensburg, the PSAC East #2 seed, is the three-time defending
PSAC champion. The Lady Raiders, under the direction of fifth-year
head coach Bob Brookens, are 36-16 overall, including a 17-7 PSAC
East mark. SU is led by OF Heather Chantiles (.508, 47 runs, 19
RBI), C/DP Rachelle Wedell (.322, 1 HR, 26 RBI) and SS Kristen Marll
(.314, 10 RBI). Lead the pitching staff are Kelley Tiesi (22-6,
0.58 ERA, 299 K, 191.2 IP) and Danielle Shields (12-7, 1.31 ERA, 144
K, 134.0 IP). Shippensburg won three of four vs. the Golden Bears
this season, with KU earning a split at home and dropping both at
SU.
Indiana (PA), the PSAC West’s #3 seed, enter PSACs with a 21-18
overall record, including a 12-8 mark in the division. The Indians
are coached by 12th-year mentor Sue Snyder. IUP is led by Jodie
Swavely (.370, 29 runs, 9 HR, 27 RBI), Alex Daughenbaugh (.333, 9
RBI), Sarah White (.312, 5 HR, 21 RBI) and Hilary Tutrani (.303, 4
HR, 19 RBI). Swavely (14-10, 1.56 ERA, 145 K, 143.1 IP) also keys
the pitching staff. KU and IUP were scheduled to play a
doubleheader on April 12 this season, but it was rained out. The
teams played four times last year, with IUP winning three.
Notable:
Live in-game statistics will be posted on Lock Haven University’s
website (havensports.com)…if scheduling permits, there may be
Webcasts of some of Kutztown’s games, check kubears.com for any
possible broadcast schedule…Kutztown was 3-5 against the other PSAC
playoff teams this season (2-2 vs. Bloom, 1-3 vs. Ship)…Bloomsburg
was 4-4 against the playoff teams (2-2 vs. KU, 2-2 vs.
Ship)…Shippensburg was 6-3 against the other playoff teams (1-0 vs.
IUP, 3-1 vs. KU, 2-2 vs. Bloom)…Cal was 4-4 vs. other playoff teams
(4-0 vs. IUP, 0-4 vs. LHU)…IUP was 0-9 vs. the playoff teams (0-1
vs. Ship, 0-4 vs. Cal, 0-4 vs. Cal)…LHU was 8-0 vs. the playoff
teams (4-0 vs. Cal, 4-0 vs. IUP).
May 2, 2006
KUTZTOWN BASEBALL
HEADED TO PSAC CHAMPIONSHIP
KUTZTOWN, PA –
The Kutztown University baseball team is
headed to Boalsburg, PA, for the 2006 Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) Playoffs this Thursday-through-Saturday, May 4-6.
Looking
to defend their PSAC title, the Golden Bears are the second seed
from the PSAC East. KU will open the tournament against the PSAC
West’s #2 seed, Shippensburg, in game two of the six-team,
double-elimination tournament Thursday morning at 9:00 AM. The
tournament will take place at the Shaner Sports Complex in
Boalsburg, PA, outside of State College. This is the second year of
the six-team format. At stake in the tournament is the PSAC’s
automatic berth in the NCAA Division II Championship.
If
Kutztown loses its first game, it plays again at 12:30 PM against
the loser of the other 9:00 AM game between California (PA) (PSAC
West #1) and Mansfield (PSAC East #3). A win in the first game and
Kutztown will advance to face the winner of the 12:30 PM game
between West Chester (PSAC East #1) and Slippery Rock (PSAC West #3)
at 4:00 PM. Also at 4:00 PM, the California/Mansfield winner and
the West Chester/Slippery Rock loser play.
The
rest of the tournament schedule is determined by how many teams
remain after the first day of games. Contests resume at noon on
Friday and continue through Saturday’s championship round. Tickets
are $10 for adults, $5 for students per day. Tournament passes can
be purchased, $20 for adults and $10 for students.
Kutztown will Webcast all of its games in the tournament. The
Webcasts can be accessed at kubears.com.
Kutztown has qualified for the PSAC Playoffs in each of
the past three seasons, and in seven of the last 10 years. In the
last eight years, the Golden Bears have won the PSAC title in 1999,
2002 and 2005, while placing second in 2001 and 2004. KU’s
first-ever PSAC title came 40 years ago in 1966.
KU will enter the PSAC tournament with a record of 36-12
overall, finishing 15-5 in the PSAC East. Kutztown is currently
ranked #14 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II
Poll. Last week, KU was ranked second in the North Atlantic
Region.
KU is under the direction of fourth-year head coach
Chris Blum, who has a career record of 137-61. Blum set the bar
for KU coaches in last year’s PSAC Championship final, when he
became the fastest baseball coach at KU to reach 100 wins.
The Golden Bears enter the championship tournament with
a balanced offensive attack and a steady pitching corps. Kutztown
has a .309 team batting average and leads the PSAC with a 2.99 team
earned-run average.
Starting pitchers Matt Maradeo (jr.
Nesquehoning/Panther Valley), William Loskiewictz (sr.
Philadelphia/Neumann-Garretti), Ryan Loper (jr. Boiling
Springs/Springfield) and Mike McCardell (jr. West
Chester/Henderson) comprise Kutztown’s starting rotation.
Maradeo is 6-3, with a 2.54 earned run average
and 76 strikeouts in 60.1 innings pitched. Loskiewictz, a
left hander, sports a 3-3 record, with a 4.65 ERA and 55 strikeouts
in 50.1 innings. Loper is 6-2, with a 2.22 ERA and 42
strikeouts in 48.2 innings. McCardell, who was named PSAC
East pitcher of the week three times this season, pulls double duty
as a starter and closer. He is 6-0 with a is 6-0 on the season and
leads the PSAC with nine saves, a single season record for the
Golden Bears. He has started seven of his 17 appearances this year,
with a 2.64 ERA and 74 Ks in 58.0 innings.
Philip Rummel (so. Exeter/West-Mont Christian)
leads the PSAC in earned-run average at 1.79. He has a 4-3 record
with 28 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. Rounding out KU’s pitching
staff are Derek Reis (so. Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe)
(2-0, 0.64 ERA), Kevin Morganti (so. Muhlenberg/Muhlenberg)
(4-0, 2.10), Christopher David (fr. Fairless Hills/Conwell
Egan-Catholic) (1-0, 3.12), Steve Craig (fr.
Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) (1-0, 4.12), Justin Jachowicz
(so. Summit Hill/Panther Valley) (2-1, 4.15) and Chad
Lightcap (fr. Boyertown/Boyertown) (1-0, 4.82).
Loper, the starting center fielder when he’s not
on the mound, is hitting .406 with 31 runs, 38 RBI and five home
runs. He leads the team with a .639 slugging percentage. Fellow
outfielder Jeff Craig (jr. Wilkes-Barre/Bishop Hoban) hits
.361 with 36 runs and 44 RBI. Dan Gavlick (jr. Medford,
NJ/Shawnee) and Chad Lightcap (fr. Boyertown/Boyertown)
platoon as KU’s third outfielder. Gavlick is hitting .312,
13 RBI, while Lightcap is hitting .328 with 32 RBI and three
homers. Bryan Riggins (so. Glensmoore/Downingtown West)
(.277, 16 runs, 14 RBI) also sees time in the outfield.
McCardell anchors the infield when he’s not
pitching. The junior, who plays at both first and third base, is
hitting .385 with 26 RBI and six home runs. Nate Kranz
(fr.
Silver Spring/Cumberland Valley) and Kyle Costello (sr. Plains/Coughlin) share time at
third base. Kranz is hitting .373 with 24 RBI. He has been
hit by pitches a school-record 19 times this season. Costello,
who missed some early games due to injury, is hitting .265 with 14
RBI and a home run.
First
baseman Paul Cashin (jr. Collingdale/Monsignor Bonner) is
hitting .320 with 11 RBI and one homer.
Second
baseman Josh Fink (sr. Hatfield/North Penn) and short stop
Gary Stricker (sr. Croydon/Conwell-Egan) make up the double-play
tandem. The leadoff hitter, Fink is hitting .306 with 42
runs scored and 14 doubles, both team highs. Stricker is
hitting .233 with 30 runs scored, 22 RBI and three homers.
Matt
Dierolf (so. Boyertown/Boyertown) and Matt Jones (so.
Lititz/Warwick) platoon at catcher. Dierolf is hitting
.220 with 17 RBI and a homer, while Jones is hitting .213 with nine
RBI.
Kutztown’s first-round opponent is Shippensburg. Kutztown was
2-0 against Shippensburg in the regular season. The Raiders are
coached by Bruce Peddie, in his 11th season, and enter the
tournament 30-22, 13-7 in the PSAC West. SU has won three PSAC
titles during Peddie’s tenure (1996, 2000 and 2003), and 11 overall.
Center fielder Justin Garber leads the team with a .415 average,
and has 32 RBI and six home runs. Third baseman Jeremy Hess has a
.391 average with nine homers and 47 RBI. Third baseman/DH Jamie
Mengle is hitting .346 with 10 homers and 38 RBI. Nathan Starner
(8-1, 2.18 ERA, 77 K, 66.0 IP) and Matt Wright (6-1, 2.03 ERA, 77 K
in 62.0 IP) anchor the pitching staff.
California (PA) heads to Boalsburg with a 33-16 overall record,
including a record of 17-3 to win the PSAC Western Division
regular-season crown. Kutztown was 2-1 against the Vulcans this
season, all at the Savannah Invitational in March. Cal, which won
its second PSAC title in 2004, is making its sixth straight
appearance in the PSAC Playoffs. Mike Conte is in his 10th year
coaching the Vulcans. The speedy Vulcans have 172 stolen bases,
almost twice as many as any other PSAC Team. Third baseman Robert
Hedrick (.416, 4 HR, 41 RBI, 28 SB), OF Lee Rohan (.413, 25 RBI, 37
SB), SS Dustin Woodring (.361, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 28 SB) and 2B Drew
Aniceti (.355, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 27 SB) lead the Vulcan offense. Adam
Dukate (5-3, 3.58 ERA, 29 K, 50.1 IP), Chris Doerschner (4-1, 3.58
ERA, 62 K, 55.1 IP), Jon Squeglia (5-0, 3.99 ERA, 21 K, 38.1 IP) and
Andrew Rafalski (3-4, 7 saves, 3.46 ERA, 22 K, 41.2 IP) headline the
pitchers.
Mansfield
is 30-22 overall and finished its PSAC East slate at 9-11. Head
coach Harry Hillson is in his 20th year at the helm of MU.
Mansfield has won eight PSAC titles, five under Hillson (1992-95,
’97). The Golden Bears took three of four from Mansfield in
divisional play this season. KU swept a doubleheader in Mansfield
(KU 4-MU 2, 1-0) and split in Kutztown (1-2, 5-0). OF Ryan Wyland
(.403, 58 runs, 6 HR, 39 RBI), 2B Travis Lepperd (.388, 31 RBI) and
OF Colby Rickabaugh (.371, 7 HR, 56 RBI) lead the offense. Matt
Allegretto (7-2, 3.88 ERA, 34 K, 60.1 IP), Adam Lorson (3-5, 4.62
ERA, 40 K, 64.1 IP) and Rickabaugh (2-2, 4 saves, 3.47 ERA, 18 K,
23.1 IP) are the top pitchers.
Slippery Rock enters the tournament with a 32-20 mark on the season and
13-7 in the PSAC West under 21st-year coach Jeff Messer. Under
Messer, The Rock has won two of the school’s four PSAC titles (1991,
2001), but is making its first appearance since 2003. 3B Todd
Schickling (.404, 46 runs, 5 HR, 53 RBI), SS Bhil Butch (.392, 53
runs, 31 RBI, 33 SB), OF Dave Gonos (.347, 3 HR, 38 RBI) lead the
offense. Colin Scott (5-4, 3.89 ERA, 52 K, 56.0 IP), Josh Rape
(6-2, 3.89 ERA, 37 K, 41.2 IP) and John Katich (4-2, 3.91 ERA, 20 K,
48.1 IP) lead the pitching staff. KU did not face Slippery Rock
this season, but was 1-0 vs. the Rock at the 2005 NCAA North
Atlantic Regional.
West Chester
was the regular-season PSAC East champion. The Golden Bears and
Golden Rams split both regular-season doubleheader meetings. The
teams split in Kutztown (KU 4-WCU 5, 6-2) and shared victories in
West Chester (4-5, 8-6). Second-year coach Matt Brainard has guided
West Chester to a 32-15 record overall and 16-4 in the PSAC East.
WCU has won five PSAC titles, the last coming in 1985. Offensive
leaders include OF/2B Sean Bond (.381, 46 runs, 34 RBI), OF Matt
Cotellese (.377, 36 runs, 2 HR, 28 RBI) and SS Joey Yeager (.362, 2
HR, 47 RBI). Frank Gailey (6-3, 3.13 ERA, 55 K, 69.0 IP) leads the
pitching rotation, which also includes David Slusser (7-2, 4.05 ERA,
35 K, 60.0 IP), Chris Powl (7-4, 4.09 ERA, 61.2 ERA, 39 K, 61.2 IP)
and Ryan Gerber (5-2, 4.55 ERA, 50 K, 55.1 IP)
Notable:
Complete tournament results will be available at kubears.com
as well as psacsports.org…KU was 4-1 against the PSAC West playoff teams, and 5-3
against the other teams from the PSAC east…Slippery Rock was
2-2 vs. Mansfield, 2-2 vs. Shippensburg, 1-0 vs. West Chester and
0-4 vs. California…California was 1-2 vs. Kutztown, 0-2 vs.
Mansfield, 2-2 vs. Shippensburg and 4-0 vs. Slippery Rock…Mansfield
was 2-0 vs. California, 1-3 vs. Kutztown, 2-2 vs. Slippery Rock and
1-3 vs. West Chester…Shippensburg was 1-1 vs. West Chester,
2-2 vs. California, 0-2 vs. Kutztown and 2-2 vs. Slippery Rock…West
Chester was 1-1 vs. Shippensburg, 2-2 vs. Kutztown, 0-1 vs.
Slippery Rock and 3-1 vs. Mansfield...fans who will be attending the
tournament may want to bring a lawn chair with them, as bleacher
seating is limited at the Shaner complex….the Shaner Complex is
located east of State College on Route 322. It is easily visible
from the road.
May 1, 2006
McCARDELL NAMED
PSAC EAST PITCHER OF THE WEEK
KUTZTOWN, PA – Kutztown University’s Mike McCardell (jr. West
Chester/Henderson) has been named the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Pitcher of the Week.
McCardell, a 6-5 right-handed pitcher,
earned two wins
over his 11 innings of work, allowing just two walks, five hits and
one unearned run. In a 1-0 win against Mansfield, he gave up three
hits and struck out eight in the complete-game victory. Then, he
allowed only two hits and struck out eight while throwing four
innings of relief in a 4-2 triumph over Millersville.
McCardell has earned the PSAC East Pitcher of the Week Award three
times this season. He has a 6-0 record with a 2.64 earned-run
average. Additionally, he set KU’s single-season record for saves
with nine. Over 58.0 innings pitched, McCardell has struck out 74,
with 18 walks, while opponents are batting just .175 against him.
Kutztown is 36-12 overall, 15-5 in the PSAC East. KU, the #2 seed
from the PSAC East, will face Shippensburg, the #2 seed from the
PSAC West, in the first game of the conference championship
tournament on Thursday at 9:00 AM in Boalsburg, PA.
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