1/29/09 - Baseball America Features IUP

Baseball America features IUP in the recent NCAA Division II College Preview for 2009.  TJ Nichols was selected as a "Player to Watch" and the team was mentioned in the notes section.

Direct Link to Baseball America Division II Preview

NCAA Division II Players to Watch

C—T.J. Nichols, Jr., Indiana, Pa. (.406-4-34)
1B—Ben Minard, Jr., Ashland, Ohio (.435-11-61)
2B—Robbie Shields, Jr., Florida Southern (.348-9-36)
3B—Greyson Schram, Jr., Concord, W.Va. (.451-16-64)
SS—Vance Albitz, Jr., UC San Diego (.355-3-45, 11 SB)
OF—Matt Cotellese, Sr., West Chester, Pa. (.415-12-58, 21 SB)
OF—Karl Derbacher, Sr., Southern Connecticut State (.408-0-53, 28 SB)
OF—Alex Vertcnik, Jr., Mount Olive, N.C. (.416-7-77)
DH—Gabe MacDougall, Sr., Lynn, Fla. (.389-21-65, 16 SB)
SP—Mike Adams, Sr., Franklin Pierce, N.H. (11-1, 1.36, 113 SO/112 IP)
SP—Darin Gorski, Jr, Kutztown, Pa. (8-4, 2.44)
SP—Dan Grife, Jr., Mercyhurst, Pa. (6-5, 2.50, 78 SO/68 IP)
RP—Chris Matlock, Sr., Central Missouri (5-2, 2.13, 11 SV, 79 SO/68 IP).
Player of the Year: Robbie Shields, ss/2b, Florida Southern.
Pitcher of the Year: Mike Adams, rhp, Franklin Pierce, N.H.

NCAA Division II Notes

Indiana (Pa.) improved by 16 victories last season, with the first winning season for the program since 1998, and the Crimson Hawks could make another jump in 2009 built on a strong, veteran lineup featuring Jr. SS Paul Bingham (.392, 20 SB), a rangy, 6-foot-3, 200-pounder who is also a plus runner; Jr. C T.J. Nichols, the team's top hitter last year (.406); and brother RHPs Colby and Corey Betz, twin juniors who are the team's top starter and closer. However, the competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference also features Shippensburg, which reached the D-II World Series last year; as well as Mercyhurst and Kutztown, home to top prospects RHP Steve Grife and LHP Dan Gorski, respectively.