KU NAMES ITS ATHLETES, ROOKIES AND COACHES OF THE YEAR 

KUTZTOWN, PA – Kutztown University has named its Athletes, Rookies and Coaches of the Year for the 2005-06 school year. 

            Mike McCardell (jr. West Chester/Henderson), of the baseball team, was chosen as the Male Athlete of the Year.  Laura Kline (jr./sr. Reading/Reading), a member of the field hockey and track & field teams, was selected as the Female Athlete of the Year.  David Ben (r-fr. Coatesville/Coatesville), of the basketball team, was named Male Rookie of the Year.  Stephanie Denlinger (fr. Harleysville/Souderton), was tabbed the Female Rookie of the Year.  Chris Blum was named Men’s Athletics Coach of the Year for his efforts guiding the baseball team.  Brian Mondschein, head track & field coach, was named the Women’s Athletics Coach of the Year.

             McCardell was named the PSAC East Pitcher of the year and first-team All-PSAC East as both a pitcher and first baseman.  He was also honored on two all-region teams.  The 6-5 junior right-hander set a school record with 13 saves, bringing his career total to a school record of 16.  On the mound, he was 6-1 with a 2.58 ERA and 87 strikeouts.  At the plate, he hit .381 with seven homers and 31 RBI. 

            Kline is an All-America field hockey player and PSAC  track & field champion. She set a team record with 13 assists and added two goals, earning first-team field hockey coaches association All-America honors.  On the track, Kline won the PSAC indoor championship in the 400-meter dash (57.88).  She was the PSAC outdoor runner up in the 400 hurdles, setting a school record (1:01.74) and qualifying for the NCAA Championships, where she placed 15th.  Kline, who holds a 4.0 grade-point average, was also named first-team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America as a member of both teams.   

            Ben was named the PSAC East Rookie of the Year after a standout redshirt-freshman season. Ben averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as KU’s men’s basketball team advanced to the PSAC quarterfinals.   

            Denlinger had a record-breaking debut season for KU’s softball squad.  Named the PSAC East Rookie of the Year, Denlinger was also a first-team All-PSAC East and Mid-Atlantic All-Region pick at first base.  She set KU’s single-season record for home runs (16) and tied the mark for doubles (16), tallying the second-highest slugging percentage in a season in program history. She hit .356 with 42 RBI.   

            Blum was named the PSAC East Coach of the Year after guiding his diamond men to the 2006 conference championship.  KU won a school record 44 games (44-14), finishing with a 15-5 PSAC East regular-season record.  The Golden Bears were the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional runners-up. His players swept the year-end PSAC East Awards, while six of his players earned seven all-conference honors.  This is Blum’s first KU Coach of the Year nod. 

            Mondschein earned his sixth KU Coach of the Year award, but just his second as coach of the women’s team.  Mondschein’s indoor track & field team won its second-straight PSAC championship in February as he was named the PSAC and US Track & field/Cross Country Coaches Association East Regional Coach of the Year.  His outdoor team finished third at the PSAC Championships.  Counting both seasons, he coached six PSAC Champions, 12 All-PSAC performers, five NCAA qualifiers and one All-American.  Mondschein will step down as head coach this summer. 

            The athlete, rookie and coach of the year awards are based on 2005-06 accomplishments. Nominees are voted upon by the KU Athletics Department’s coaches and staff.  The awards will be formally presented at halftime of a Kutztown football game this fall.