Kutztown University

The following are press releases for the Kutztown University Athletic Department, released during the time listed above. For more information, contact the sports information office.

May 13, 2008

ANDRE REED TO HEADLINE READING EXPRESS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS NIGHT

KUTZTOWN-The Reading Express will host Breast Cancer Awareness night on Saturday, May 17 at 8 p.m. at the Soverign Center in Reading. Fans will get an opportunity to meet former Buffalo Bills star and Kutztown University standout wide receiver Andre Reed.

Express players will be wearing special pink breast cancer jersey’s that will be auctioned during the game. Other special items will be on sale that will directly benefit breast cancer awareness and research.

Breast Cancer Awareness Night is sponsored by The Reading Hospital & Medical Center.

Reed, a former teammate of Express head coach and fellow KU Athletics Hall of Famer Bernie Nowotarski was a four-year letterman at Kutztown from 1981-84.He made 142 career catches for 2,002 yards and 14 touchdowns. Upon completion of his collegiate career, he held school records for catches, receiving yards and touchdowns in a game, season and career. Though all of his records have since been broken, Reed still ranks among the top five receivers in several statistical categories. He was named All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 1983 and 1984. One of four Kutztown University football players with his jersey number retired, he was selected for the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century in 1997.

Reed ranks near the top in nearly all NFL career statistical receiving categories. He is fifth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951. He is eighth in NFL history in total career receiving yards with 13,198. Reed is also tenth in NFL history in total career touchdown receptions with 87. With the Bills, Reed played in four consecutive Super Bowls (1991-1994) and was selected to the Pro Bowl in seven consecutive seasons (1988-1994).

For more information on joining Andre Reed and the Reading Express to help “score a touchdown for a cure” and for ticket availability, call 610-372-PASS or visit www.expressindoorfootball.com.

May 12, 2008

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team will open defense of its NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional title on Thursday against West Chester at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pa.

Kutztown (30-24) is the No. 6 seed in the six-team field. The Golden Bears earned automatic qualification by winning the 2008 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship on May 4. KU will take on No. 1 seeded West Chester (41-14) in Thursday’s first game at 11 a.m. No. 2 West Virginia State (36-12), which was the automatic qualifier as winner of the W.Va. Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) title, will face No. 5 Shippensburg (34-23) at 3 p.m., followed by No. 3 Concord (35-13) vs. No. 4 Pitt-Johnstown (35-17-1) at 7 p.m.

Games continue throughout the day Friday and Saturday, with the championship game(s) scheduled for Sunday. Ticket prices are $5 for each game.

The winner of the tournament will advance to the NCAA Division II “World Series” at Sauget, Ill. May 24-31.

The Golden Bears are 30-24 overall, including a 5-1 record to win the PSAC title. KU is under the direction of sixth-year head coach Chris Blum, who has a career record of 224-94.

KU makes its eighth-straight NCAA tournament appearance, the third longest active streak in Division II behind Central Missouri State (14) and Tampa (nine). Not only is KU’s the longest active streak among North Atlantic Region teams, it is the longest-ever streak of regional berths among teams currently in the region. KU has been in the tournament 10 times, with its first in 1999, then every year since 2001. Kutztown won the tournament in 2001, ’02, ’04 and ’07, while finishing second in ’06 and third in ’99, ’03 and ’05.

Kutztown won the title last year, defeating West Chester 9-1 in the championship game. The Golden Bears finished tied for seventh at the NCAA Championships.

The 2008 Golden Bears have been led by solid pitching as the young lineup has come along late in the season. KU has a 3.69 team earned-run average and a .282 team batting average.

Darin Gorski (so. Mount Joy/Donegal), Philip Rummel (sr. Exeter/West-Mont Christian), Derick Reis (sr. Jim Thorpe/Jim Thorpe) and Garrison Rausch (sr. Allentown/Parkland) comprise KU’s rotation.

Gorski is 8-3 with a 2.08 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 73.2 innings pitched. Rummel is 6-5 with a 3.39 ERA and 56 Ks in 66.1 innings pitched, Reis is 4-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. Rausch is 1-3 with a 6.17 ERA and 30 Ks in 42.1 innings.

Other pitchers who saw action in the PSAC Championships and will look to contribute on the mound include Justin Jachowicz (sr. Summit Hill/Panther Valley) (1-3, save, 3.33 ERA), Trent Mertz (fr. Kutztown/Kutztown) (1-0, save, 1.80 ERA), Mike Bucklin (so. Shillington/Governor Mifflin) (2-0, 5.40 ERA), Jason Herr (fr. Harrisburg/C.D. East) (0-2, 3.72 ERA) and Ryan Cassidy (so. Langhorne/Archbishop Wood) (2-2, 4.24 ERA).

The Golden Bears are led at the plate by OF/DH Chad Lightcap (jr. Boyertown/Boyertown), who is hitting .387 with 47 runs scored, 40 RBIs and six home runs. Rausch, who plays center field when not pitching, is hitting .193 with 13 RBIs. Corey Buletza (fr. St. Clair/Pottsville) (.278, HR, 23 RBIs) and Jeff Kistle (fr. Sandyston, N.J./Kittatinny) (.220, 11 RBI) split time in the outfield as well.

The infield is led by the third-baseman platoon of James Quigley (fr. Bensalem/Bensalem) and Mike Dugan (r-fr. Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City). Quigley is hitting .330 with 17 RBIs, while Dugan is hitting .286 with a home run and 19 RBIs. Second baseman Mike Kacelowicz (so. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) is hitting .315 with a home run and 20 RBIs. Jared Frey (so. Mohrsville/Schuylkill Valley) is hitting .250 with 20 RBIs at first base, while Mark Renda (r-fr. Lansdale/North Penn) (.250, 23 RBIs) and Brett Wigder (fr. Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) (.281, 19 RBIs) share time at short stop.

Matt Kulbacki (so. Hershey/Hershey) and Scott Kacelowicz (so. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) are the catchers. Kulbacki is hitting .286 with a team-high seven homers and 32 RBIs. Kacelowicz hits .309 with nine RBIs.

KUTZTOWN, Pa. — Four members of Kutztown University’s softball team were named to All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

First baseman Steph Denlinger (jr. Harleysville/Souderton) and utility player Ashley Fitzgerald (jr. Kitchener, Ont./Resurrection) were named to the first team. Pitcher Katlin Arbogast (so. Ambler/Wissahickon) and third baseman Krista Cameron (jr. Formosta, Ont/Sacred Heart) were named to the second team.

Denlinger, earns her third-straight NFCA first-team all-region award. She is currently batting .345 with 51 runs scored, 16 home runs and 55 RBIs. She has walked 40 times on the year, and has a .721 slugging percentage. Earlier this week, she was named first-team All-PSAC East and Daktronics All-Region. Last season, Denlinger was named first-team All-America by the NFCA.

Fitzgerald was awarded her third career NFCA All-Region honor, after earning first team in 2007 as a utility player and second team in 2006 as an outfielder. Playing primarily at catcher this season, Fitzgerald has also played at short stop, outfield and designated player. She is hitting .438, with 23 doubles, 16 home runs and 56 RBIs. She leads the PSAC in batting, doubles and shares the lead with doubles, while also topping all PSAC players in slugging percentage (.841) and on-base percentage (.500). Earlier this week, Fitzgerald was named the PSAC East Player of the Year, as well as first-team All-PSAC East and Daktronics All-Region. Last year, Fitzgerald was a second-team NFCA All-America honoree.

Arbogast is a repeat selection to the NFCA all-region second team, after earning the same award as a freshman in 2007. The sophomore right hander is 24-7, with a 1.44 earned-run average in 2008. She has 21 complete games and 12 shutouts in 195 innings pitched, with 243 strikeouts on the year. Earlier this week, she was named first-team All-PSAC East and Daktronics All-Region.

Cameron was named to the NFCA All-Region team for the third time, twice on the second team and once on the first team (2007). She is hitting .328 on the season, with 13 doubles, five home runs and 35 RBIs. Previously this season, she was named first-team All-PSAC East and second-team Daktronics All-Region.

The Golden Bears (46-13) are in the midst of hosting the NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament. KU is 1-1 in the tournament and will next face West Chester on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at North Campus Field.

KUTZTOWN, Pa. — Kutztown University baseball players Chad Lightcap (jr. Boyertown/Boyertown) and Darin Gorski (so. Mount Joy/Donegal) were named to the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division first team, while Philip Rummel (sr. Exeter/West-Mont Christian) was named to the second team.

Lightcap is enjoying another solid season after being named to the second team a year ago. Lightcap leads the team in batting average (.387) and was second in the conference with 18 doubles. His six home runs are second on the team. He also has a team-high 40 RBIs and 101 total bases. Lightcap was named the MVP of the 2008 PSAC Tournament where the Golden Bears claimed their sixth title in school history.

Gorski stepped up in his sophomore season recording an 8-3 record in 11 starts with seven complete games and a PSAC leading 2.08 ERA. His 78 strikeouts in 73.2 innings is good for second in the conference. The sophomore has allowed only 56 hits and 27 free passes on the season. Opponents hit .208 against the southpaw.

Rummel is 6-5 on the season, with a 3.39 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. Rummel had 10 starts and threw five complete games. Opponents hit .285 against the senior.

After winning the PSAC Championship, KU (30-24) earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional, which will take place May 15-18 at a site to be determined.

FITZGERALD LEADS FIVE GOLDEN BEARS ON ALL-REGION TEAM, SEVEN ON ALL-PSAC EAST SQUAD

KUTZTOWN, Pa. — Ashley Fitzgerald (jr. Kitchener, ONT./Resurrection) was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Player of the Year and was one of five Daktronics Mid-Atlantic All-Region and seven All-PSAC East selections.

Fitzgerald, at utility player, along with pitcher Katlin Arbogast (so. Ambler/Wisshickon) and first baseman Steph Denlinger (jr. Harleysville/Sounderton) were named to the all-region first team. Third baseman Krista Cameron (jr. Formosa, ONTARIO/Sacred Heart) and center fielder. Kathy Gregg (sr. Narvon/Gardon Spot) made the second team.

Fitzgerald, Arbogast, Denlinger, Cameron and second baseman Kim Morrison (jr. Newmarket, ONTARIO/Sir William Mulock) were named to the first team All-PSAC East. Gregg and left fielder Maria Schaivo (so. Old Forge/Old Forge) both made the second team.

Fitzgerald, who was second team all-region last season, ranks atop the conference in multiple categories, as she leads the PSAC in total bases (142), batting average (.435) doubles (23), and is tied for the lead in RBIs (55) and is second in the conference with 15 home runs. Fitzgerald was also named All-PSAC first team for the second consecutive season at the utility position.

Denlinger, the 2007 PSAC East Player of the Year, has had a banner year once again, breaking several career records. She set the KU career record for RBIs and broke the career record for walks. Additionally, the junior is currently tied for the most career homers in PSAC history with 56 entering this week’s Mid-Atlantic Regional. Denlinger currently leads the PSAC this season with 16 homers and runs scored with 51. Denlinger, who is hitting .354 on the season, was a first-team Daktronics All-Region selection last year.

Arbogast, last season’s PSAC East Pitcher and Rookie of the Year, has had another stellar campaign in her sophomore season. Entering the Mid-Atlantic Regional, she has a 23-7 record, with 234 strikeouts in 183 innings and a 1.49 ERA. In only her second season, Arbogast has already set the KU career record for strikeouts in her career. She was a first-team All-PSAC East and all-region pick in 2007.

Cameron was selected to her third career All-PSAC East honor, her second straight on the first team. She is also a repeat Daktronics All-Region honoree. Cameron is third on the Golden Bears in several categories, with 35 RBIs, 87 total bases. She is second with 58 hits. Cameron is hitting .322 on the year with 35 RBIs.

Morrison is hitting .292 with nine doubles, three homers and 16 RBIs, while providing solid play at the second base position (.963 fielding percentage). Morrison was named to the PSAC East first team for the third time in her career.

Schiavo is second on the team with 58 hits and first on the team with 21 sacrifices. She has a .318 batting average. She earns her second-consecutive all-conference second-team award.

Gregg leads the team in steals with nine and is third in homers with six. She has a .303 batting average with 21 RBIs. Gregg is a first time All-PSAC and all-region honoree.

15200 Kutztown Road • Kutztown PA. 19530
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania • P.O. Box 730 • Kutztown, PA 19530
(610) 683-4000 • TDD (610) 683-1315, (610) 683-4499
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