December 15, 2009
Contact: Bob McComas, Slippery Rock

Dowling College senior pitcher Gabriel Duran headlines the list of NCAA Division II baseball players named today to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Preseason All-America teams.

The 2009 NCBWA Division II national “Pitcher of the Year,” Duran was one of four players named to the Preseason All-America team who also earned first-team All-NCBWA All-America honors last spring. He was joined in that group by Mesa State outfielder Kevin Becker, who earned All-America honors as a second baseman in 2009, South Carolina Aiken designated hitter Travis Howard and Lynn University starting pitcher Dan Wright.

The 2010 Division II Preseason All-America teams include 20 student-athletes who earned All-America honors last spring.

A total of 40 schools had at least one representative on the Division II Preseason All-America teams.

Angelo State led the way with six representatives on the teams, one first-team selection, one second-team selection and four third-team selections.

Three schools (Ashland, Florida Southern and Southwest Minnesota State) each had four student-athletes honored, while eight other schools had three student-athletes selected and 12 schools had two representatives on the Preseason All-America teams.

Schools with more than one student-athlete named to NCBWA Division II Preseason All America honors included: Angelo State 6; Ashland, Florida Southern and Southwest Minnesota State 4 each; Emporia State, Felician, Harding, Indiana (Pa.), Slippery Rock, UC San Diego, Upper Iowa and West Chester 3 each; and Assumption, Augustana (S.D.), Georgia College & State University, defending national champion Lynn, Mesa State, Millersville, Molloy, Nebraska-Kearney, Regis, Southern Indiana, St. Cloud State and West Florida 2 each.

Schools with one student-athlete named to NCBWA Division II Preseason All-America status included Adelphi, Alabama Huntsville, California (Pa.), Concordia-St. Paul, Dowling, East Stroudsburg, Lewis, Minnesota State, 2008 national champion Mount Olive, Nova Southeastern, Ouachita Baptist, Rockhurst, Seton Hill, Shippensburg, USC Aiken and Southern Connecticut State.

The association’s Division II national poll voters and members of the association’s board of directors selected the NCBWA Division II Preseason All-America teams from nominations submitted by sports information directors at NCAA Division II baseball-playing institutions.

All PSAC players in bold.

FIRST TEAM

Catcher: T.J. Nichols, sr., Indiana (Pa.)

First Baseman: Kenny Burkhead, sr., Emporia State

Second Baseman: Jason Morriss, sr., Angelo State

Third Baseman: Matt Bauer, sr., Southwest Minnesota State

Shortstop: Jesus Arzaga, sr., Regis

Outfielder: Kevin Becker, sr., Mesa State; Sam DiMatteo, sr., California (Pa.); J.J. Putt, sr., Regis

Designated Hitter: Travis Howard, sr., USC Aiken

Utility Player: Will Gowdy, sr., Ouachita Baptist

Starting Pitcher: Keith Couch, jr., Adelphi; *Gabriel Duran, jr., Dowling; Ajay Meyer, sr., Ashland; Max Russell, jr., Florida Southern; *Dan Wright, sr., Lynn

Relief Pitcher: Tim Dupuis, sr., Assumption; Trevor Leach, jr., Southern Indiana

SECOND TEAM

Catcher: Pat Trettel, sr., Seton Hill

First Baseman: Keith Towne, sr., Angelo State

Second Baseman: Seth Fox, sr., Upper Iowa

Third Baseman: Blake Cover, sr., Nebraska-Kearney

Shortstop: Vance Albitz, sr., UC San Diego

Outfielder: Nate Baumann, jr., Augustana (S.D.); Sean Harrell, sr., Georgia College & State U.; Derek Migrants, sr., Assumption

Designated Hitter: Jason Carr, sr., Mesa State

Utility Player: Tyler Choate, sr., Southern Indiana

Starting Pitcher: Logan Birr, so., St. Cloud State; Vince Lloyd, sr., Slippery Rock; Ben Minard, sr., Ashland; Matt Rossman, sr., UC San Diego; Tim Shibuya, jr., UC San Diego.

Relief Pitcher: Martin Dewald, sr., Georgia College & State U.; Daniel Tillman, jr., Florida Southern

THIRD TEAM

Catcher: Zach Maggard, jr., Florida Southern

First Baseman: Andrew Kinney, sr., Southwest Minnesota State

Second Baseman: Billy Messer, sr., Slippery Rock

Third Baseman: Jacob Petkac, sr., Ashland

Shortstop: Nick Spisak, sr., West Chester

Outfielder: Isaac Garcia, sr., Angelo State; Jesse Lancaster, sr., Mount Olive; Jacob Oswalt, sr., Slippery Rock; Brayan Valencia, sr., Nova Southeastern

Designated Hitter: Chris Adamson, sr., Angelo State

Utility Player: Brenden Furrow, sr., Concordia-St. Paul

Starting Pitcher: David Deminsky, sr., St. Cloud State; Jeremy Gigliotti, sr., East Stroudsburg; Ben Graham, sr. Emporia State; Colby Killian, sr., Emporia State; Joe Scumaci, sr., Lewis

Relief Pitcher: Jeffrey Asby, sr., Angelo State; Craig Blair, so., Angelo State; Bret Severtson, sr., Augustana (S.D.)

HONORABLE MENTION

Catcher: Bob Stumpo, sr., West Chester; Marcos Torres, sr., Felician

First Baseman: Ryan Geffert, so.,Southern Connecticut State; Ryan McCrory, sr., Alabama-Huntsville; Ben Minard, sr., Ashland; Kyle Orensky, sr., West Chester

Second Baseman: Ryan McCormick, jr., Millersville; Chase Presley, so., Harding; Mickey Zudonyi, jr., Felician

Third Baseman: None

Shortstop: Paul Bingham, sr., Indiana (Pa.); Wade Kirkland, jr., Florida Southern

Outfielder: T.J. Greig, sr., Molloy; Cody Kulp, so., Shippensburg; Tom Longoni, sr., Upper Iowa; Greg Pron, jr., West Florida

Designated Hitter: Mike Walczak, sr., Rockhurst

Utility Player: Derek Kline, sr., Millersville; Lucas Wilsing, sr., Upper Iowa

Pitcher: Colby Betz, sr., Indiana (Pa.); Brodie Brumley, sr., Harding; Kyle Cline, so., Harding; Kevin Johnson, sr., West Florida; Tommy Kahnle, Lynn; Patrick Lenton, sr., Minnesota State; Jared Loschen, sr., Nebraska-Kearney; &Phil Messerian, sr., Felician; Adam Schrader, sr., Southwest Minnesota State; Steven Stewart, sr., Molloy