Former BC Skipper Is 20th Coach At ND…

CLICK HERE for video from Tuesday’s introductory press conference.

CLICK HERE for a recent story with interviews of former Irish baseball players talking about the recent changeover at ND.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Mik Aoki (pronounced A-O-key), the only head baseball coach to lead Boston College to an NCAA Regional since 1967, has been named the 20th head baseball coach in University of Notre Dame program history.

Mik Aoki at Tuesday's press conference at Notre Dame.

“Mik has all the characteristics that were imperative for us in the search for a new head baseball coach,” said Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick. “He is not only recognized as a top-notch recruiter, but also understands the value of top-caliber student-athletes, both on the field and in the classroom.”

Swarbrick was not at Tuesday’s introductory press conference.  He and Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins were attending a university Officer’s and Dean’s Retreat in Chicago.

“I am so excited about the opportunity to be the next head baseball coach at the University of Notre Dame,” said Aoki. “Obviously, the University and its reputation speak for itself, but I also truly feel this is one of the premier baseball jobs in America. Notre Dame possesses the perfect combination of academics and athletics. We have absolutely everything in place to compete at the highest level. My enthusiasm to start the recruiting process and bring this program back to its natural place of prominence is immediate.”

Aoki was introduced Tuesday at press conference in the Joyce Center Monogram Room.

Aoki arrives in South Bend after a four-year stint in as the Eagle head coach in Chestnut Hill, Mass. He brought the Boston College baseball program into the national forefront after leading the Eagles to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament each of the past two seasons (the only two ACC Tournament appearances in school history) and their first NCAA Regional appearance in 42 years (2009).

In 2009, the Eagles nearly knocked off number-one national seed Texas in an NCAA-record 25-inning game that would have propelled them to the finals of the ’09 Austin Regional and given Boston College a great chance at reaching its first Super Regional in program history.

Aoki’s ’09 squad qualified for its first ACC Tournament and made a statement there as well. Entering the tournament needing at least one win to likely ensure a spot in an NCAA regional, the Eagles lost their first game to seventh-ranked Florida State. Boston College responded emphatically, beating 13th-rated Georgia Tech and 16th-ranked Miami in the next two games by a combined score of 17-4 to earn its bid to Austin.

The Eagles’ 34-26 overall record qualified as their best since 2005 and their 13-15 record in ACC play marked the most league wins since joining the conference in 2006 (Boston College eclipsed that total in 2010 with 14). The New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association tabbed Boston College as its team of the year for its performance.

Despite the loss of two top-50 overall draft picks following the ’09 campaign, Boston College finished 30-28 overall, 13-15 in the ACC, and qualified for 2010 ACC Tournament. The Eagles took two of three to open the season at perennial power Tulane and recorded five victories over foes ranked in the top 10, including Miami (twice), Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech.

Aoki has coached 28 Major League Baseball draft picks and four free agent signees since his arrival at Boston College in 2004. Three of those draft picks have been first-round selections in Mike Belfiore, Chris Lambert and Tony Sanchez. In addition, 16 of those 28 picks have been pitchers and two (Lambert, Joe Martinez) have reached the Major League level.

In the most recent first-year MLB player draft, Boston College had six players selected, most in program history. In fact, three Eagles were taken in the first 10 rounds of the draft – another program first.

Boston College also had a major presence in the ’09 draft, as Sanchez was selected fourth overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the highest pick ever for the Eagles’ baseball program. Belfiore was then taken in Comp Round A (45th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks, making the pair the two highest draft picks taken in the same draft from Boston College.

Aoki mentored six all-ACC performers in his four seasons as head coach, including the program’s only two first-team nominees in Sanchez (2009) and Mickey Wiswall (2010). Four Eagles earned all-conference honors in 2009, the most since joining the ACC. Aoki’s teams also produced eight all-New England selections, five all-ACC Academic Team members and two All-Americans (Belfiore and Sanchez).

Prior to being named Boston College head coach, Aoki, a Plymouth, Mass. native, spent three seasons (2004-06) as pitching coach for the Eagles. In 2004, he oversaw a staff that had five pitchers sign professional contracts at season’s end.

Prior to his arrival in Chestnut Hill, Aoki spent five years (1999-2003) as Columbia head coach, leading the Lions to an 87-140 mark during that span. His teams won 20 or more games in each of his last three seasons. Before the Aoki era, the Lions had not posted a 20-win season since 1987.

Before assuming his duties at Columbia, Aoki spent four years (1995-98) as assistant coach at Dartmouth. In that position, he focused his efforts on the team’s infielders and hitters, while also serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator.

He began his coaching career in 1992 as head coach at Manchester (Conn.) Community College, then served two seasons (1993-94) as an assistant coach at Ohio University.

Born Oct. 7, 1968, in Yokohama, Japan, and raised in Plymouth, Mass., Aoki attended Milton Academy in Milton, Mass. He earned four letters and started for three years in baseball at Davidson (1987-90), as a second baseman, third baseman and catcher. He still ranks among the school’s career leaders in slugging percentage (.547, eighth) and batting average (.335, ninth). In his senior season (1990), he finished with a team-leading .365 batting average. He stroked 20 doubles in his final season, second most in a single year in Davidson history. He also cracked 13 home runs in 1988, fifth-best total in a single season at Davidson. Two of those homers were grand slams – and only six other players in Davidson history have hit two grand slams in a season.

Aoki owns an undergraduate degree from Davidson in english (1990) and a master’s degree from Ohio University in physical education in athletic administration (1994).

Aoki played one summer of professional baseball in the Netherlands – for the HCAW Tigers of the Dutch Major League — following his graduation.

Mik and his wife, Sue, have three children – son, Kai (5), and daughters Bryn (2) and Reese (six months).

Mik Aoki AT A GLANCE

The Last Notebook Of The Regular Season…

A By The Numbers Look At The First Full Week Of The Season

Jason Mitchell (UTA photo)

0…Hits allowed in five innings of relief by UT pitcher Cole Green.  He fanned 6 with no walks in the series finale.

18…Strikeouts by UT Arlington pitcher Jason Mitchell in Friday’s win over Missouri State.  Mitchell lost a no-hitter with one out to go in the game, which the Mavericks won 1-0 in 14 innings.   The 18 Ks breaks a school and Southland Conference record.  He struck out at least two batters in all but the 8th inning (1).

0…Runs allowed in 5 innings of relief in that same game by Arlington reliever Adam Boydston, who fanned 8 himself with just one walk and one hit allowed.

2…Wins in three games  by TCU at Cal State Fullerton over the weekend.

4…Home losses by the Titans already this season.

8…Home losses by Fullerton in 2009.

2…Losses in his first two starts by Cal State Fullerton pitcher Daniel Renken after allowing 3 ER in 6 IP in Friday’s loss to the Horned Frogs.

3…Losses by Renken all of last year.

2…Wins by #19 Coastal Carolina over #4 UC Irvine on Saturday in Myrtle Beach, SC.

9…Runs in the 8^th inning of game two of the doubleheader by the Chanticleers to beat the Anteaters 13-6.

2…Combined losses by Irvine pitchers Daniel Bibona and Eric Pettis in Saturday’s twin bill.

3…Combined losses by Bibona and Pettis in 2009.

109…Pitches thrown in 5 1/3 IP by Bibona in his loss.

119…Pitches thrown in 6 2/3 IP by Pettis in his loss.

5…RBIs by Coastal Carolina catcher Jose Iglesias in the doubleheader sweep.  He was 6-for-8 at the plate in the games.

6…Runs scored by Irvine in the 8th inning on Sunday to beat James Madison 15-9 for their only win in Myrtle Beach.  In addition to their losses to Coastal Carolina the Anteaters also fell to North Carolina State.

Greg Peavey (OSU photo)

8…Strikeouts and earned runs allowed in 3 ½ innings by Tennessee’s Bryan Morgado in Friday’s 17-1 loss

to Oregon State.

0…Runs allowed with 9 strikeouts by Oregon State’s Greg Peavey in Sunday’s 1-0 win over the Vols.  Peavey allowed just three hits with one walk in his first win of the season.

0.64…Peavey’s ERA in his first 14 innings pitched this season.

9…Strikeouts in 6 innings by Louisville pitcher Thomas Royse in Friday’s 2-0 win over Michigan.

10…Strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings by Todd McInnis in 26th ranked Southern Mississippi’s 8-2 loss to LeMoyne.

2 of 3…Games Southern Miss. dropped to LeMoyne after falling 12-11 in the series finale.

20…Runners left on base by the Golden Eagles in the pair of defeats.

5…RBIs by Dolphin LF Chris Edomonson in the 12-11 win over USM.

84…Runs scored by Arizona State in its 7-0 start to the season.

18…Runs allowed by the Sun Devils (two unearned) for a 2.36 staff ERA.

15…Runs and hits by Georgia Tech in Saturday’s 15-0 win over Xavier.

1…Win over a top 10 team in the history of Xavier baseball after Sunday’s 7-6 win over #4 Georgia Tech.

4 & 3…Respective errors and unearned runs allowed by the Yellow Jackets in their first loss of 2010.

13…Errors in three games committed by Notre Dame en-route to a 1-2 weekend at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge.

Maine's Jeffrey Gibbs

6…Of those errors committed by the Fighting Irish in Sunday’s 8-7 10-inning win over Penn State.

1…Win this season for Maine (1-5) after Saturday’s 5-3 upset of #12 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

1…Career win for Black Bear pitcher Jeffrey Gibbs, who earned the win vs. the Tar Heels.  He struckout seven and allowed 2 ER in 5 1/3 IP.

2…Career starts by Gibbs-a 6’4-190 lb. freshman from Toronto, Ontario.

12…Strikeouts in 7 IP by Virginia sophomore Danny Hultzen in a 13-0 win over Rhode Island.  The lefty allowed no runs and no walks on two hits to improve to 2-0.

43…Runs scored by the Cavs in their 3-game sweep of URI while allowing just 7 runs to improve to 6-1.

Manhattan's John Soldinger

0…Runs allowed in 4 IP by Manhattan freshman reliever John Soldinger in Sunday’s 12-7 win over the 10th ranked Miami Hurricanes.

7…Earned runs allowed in 5 IP by Jasper starting pitcher Mike Gazzola who got credit for the win after exiting with his team leading 9-5.

7 & 9…Combined runs scored and RBIs, respectively, by Manhattan 2-5 batters Mark Onorati, Mike McCann, Chad Salem, and Austin Sheffield in the upset of the Hurricanes.  The quartet also combined to hit .500 (10-for-20).

6-0…Washington State’s record after Sunday’s 10-7 win over Texas Tech in Lubbock, TX.  It’s Wazzou’s best start since going 9-0 to start the 1988 season.

Brian Fletcher (Auburn photo)

4, 11 & 13…Home runs, RBIs & runs scored by New Mexico State shortstop Ryan Aguayo.  The junior hit .440 with an 1.120 slugging percentage in six games last week.

3…Of Aguayo’s home runs that came in one game-a 17-5 win over Akron.  He hit half of the Aggies’ 6 HRs in the contest.

4 & 9…Home runs and RBIs by Eastern Kentucky’s Anthony Ottrando in the Colonel’s season-opening 3-game series vs. Western Carolina.

11…RBIs with 3 home runs in 3 games by Auburn’s Brian Fletcher.  His 10th inning walk-off home run gave the Tigers a Friday win over Boston College.

15…Strikeouts in 7 IP by Ole Miss lefty Drew Pomeranz in a win over Oakland.  He allowed just a run on a solo HR.

8-0…The deficit top-ranked LSU faced in the middle of the 6th inning at home Saturday vs. William & Mary. The Tigers scored 8 runs in the bottom of the 6th and then added two more runs in the 7th to win 10-9.

22…Years since LSU had overcome as big a deficit.  They came back from 10 runs down to beat Ole Miss in 1988.

13 1/3…Total innings pitched in two outings last week by Kansas pitcher Cameron Selik.  The junior allowed just one earned run with 10 strikeouts vs. Eastern Michigan and Sacramento State.

Tigers To Open Season In Tucson

Missouri Head Coach Tim Jamieson

face Houston, TCU and Texas in a non-conference contest.

Complete 2010 Missouri Baseball

The home schedule will open up on March 10 against Western Illinois. That game will kick off a 10-game home stand at Taylor Stadium.

The Big 12 Conference schedule begins on March 26-28 when the Tigers head to College Station, Texas to take on Texas A&M. MU will also have road conference series against Oklahoma (April 9-11), Texas Tech (April 30-May 2) and Kansas (May 7-9).

Baylor will be in Columbia on April 2-4 in the first home Big 12 series of the season. Other home conference series include Oklahoma State (April 16-18), Kansas State (April 23-25), Nebraska (May 14-16) and Texas (May 21-23). The Tigers’ final six conference games of the year will be at Taylor Stadium.

Once again in 2010, Mizzou has games scheduled in both of the Major League Baseball stadiums in Missouri. MU and Illinois will meet at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on April 7 and the Tigers will face Kansas in a non-conference game at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium on April 21.

Mizzou will also continue the annual Wood Bat Classic, as it will take on Eastern Illinois on April 27 at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O’Fallon, Mo.

The Big 12 Tournament will get underway on May 26 at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. and the NCAA Tournament will begin on June 4.

A schedule note, with the exception of the home opener on March 10, all of Missouri’s weeknight home games will start at 6 p.m., which is a change from the 6:30 p.m. starts of past seasons.

(Release)

CAMBIDGE, Mass. - Harvard has posted its completed 2010 baseball schedule. Joe Walsh’s Crimson plays its first 22 games away from home in what will be a 43-game regular season schedule.

Harvard Head Coach Joe Walsh

7 p.m. that night to face the host Hatters team. The next day Harvard confronts Kansas State in a noon start.

Complete 2010 Harvard Schedule

The Crimson then embarks on a 10-day trip to Minnesota and the Carolinas. On March 12-14, Harvard plays single games at the Minneapolis Metrodome, opening against the host Gophers on the 12^th. Harvard defeated Minnesota, 9-1, during its last trip to the Dome in 2005. Harvard will also play South Dakota State (13^th) and Creighton (14^th) during the three-day tournament.

Harvard has a short turnaround following the Creighton game as the Crimson takes on Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. at 3 p.m. on March 15.   The following day Harvard takes on Winthrop in Rock Hill, N.C. before playing two games in as many days at UNC – Greensboro. Harvard concludes its southern swing with a three-game set at Charlotte, March 19-21.

After six off days, Harvard travels to Hartford, Conn. for doubleheaders against Sacred Heart (March 27) and the University of Hartford (March 28). Following a midweek game at Holy Cross, March 31, Harvard gets into its Ivy League schedule with twinbills at Princeton (April 3) and Cornell (April 4).

Harvard’s home opener comes April 6 against Bryant University. That weekend, the Crimson hosts Penn and Columbia at O’Donnell Field as part of the five-game home stand.

The Crimson makes a short trip to Northeastern on April 13, one day before a first round game of the annual Beanpot at Boston College. The final round of the tournament is scheduled for April 20 at Fenway Park and Harvard will play another regularly-scheduled game against Boston College on the 21st.

Harvard hosts the Brown Bears in a four-game set at O’Donnell Field April 17-18 while traveling to Yale for four games the following weekend in its pivotal Rolfe Division games. The Crimson then plays home-and-home twinbills against Dartmouth with the first set being played at O’Donnell Field on May 1. The Ivy League Championship Series, pitting the Rolfe and Gehrig Division winners in a 2-of-3 series, will take place May 8-9.

(Release)

Series versus Florida, North Carolina and Virginia highlight home slate

Miami Head Coach Jim Morris

The 56-game slate also features an exhibition contest against the Florida Marlins on March 3, 19 games against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams and a total of 44 games played inside the state of Florida.

Complete 2010 Miami Schedule (PDF)

The Hurricanes will open the 2010 season with a seven-game homestand beginning with a weekend series versus Rutgers, Feb. 19-21. It marks the second straight year UM will open its season at home against the Scarlet Knights.

Miami will open the month of March with a trip to Tampa to play USF at George Steinbrenner Field – the spring training home of the New York Yankees – on March 2. The next day, the `Canes will take on the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter before playing host to rival Florida for a three-game set at Alex Rodriguez Park, March 5-7.

The `Canes will open Atlantic Coast Conference play at home against Boston College, March 12-14. The remaining home series in league play include Wake Forest (April 2-4), North Carolina (16-18), Maryland (April 30 – May 2) and Virginia (May 20-22). The series against the Cavaliers will mark the conclusion of the regular season schedule.

Miami’s road schedule in league play begins with a series at Duke (March 19-21 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park), followed by trips to NC State (March 26-28), Virginia Tech (April 9-11), Florida State (April 23-25) and Georgia Tech (May 14-16).

The 2010 ACC Tournament will be held May 26-30 at Greensboro’s NewBridge Bank Park. Full tournament passes are on sale now by calling (336) 268-BALL or by visiting www.theacc.com. Individual game tickets for the ACC Tournament will go on sale in April 2010.

Regional play of the NCAA tournament will be held the weekend of June 4-6, followed by Super Regionals, June 11-13, and the College World Series, June 19-30.

The `Canes return 17 letterwinners from last year’s 38-22 team, including 2009 All-ACC performers Chris Hernandez, Yasmani Grandal and Scott Lawson. In addition, two-time All-ACC performer Eric Erickson returns after missing the 2009 season rehabilitating from an injury.

Prior to the season-opener against Rutgers, the team will hold three of its biggest annual events — the preseason banquet, the alumni game and golf tournament – all in the same weekend. The weekend kicks off with the banquet on Friday, Feb. 12, followed by the alumni game on Saturday, Feb. 13 and the team’s golf tournament on Monday, Feb. 15. Former Hurricane and current MLB All-Star Ryan Braun will be the guest speaker at the banquet.

(Release)

Terps To Face Eight 2009  NCAA Tournament teams

Maryland Head Coach Erik Bakich

The Terps open their first season under head coach Erik Bakich on Feb. 19 when they travel to Miami, Fla., for a three-game set with Florida International.

Complete 2010 Maryland Baseball Schedule

Maryland will open a 10-day, eight-game homestand when they welcome in Delaware the following weekend, Feb. 26-28. Virginia Military Institute comes to Shipley Field on Tuesday, March 2, Towson visits on Wednesday, March 3 and Hofstra comes to College Park for a three-game set March 5-7.

ACC play gets underway on Friday, March 12, as Maryland travels to Blacksburg, Va., for a three-game set with Virginia Tech.

Maryland’s next seven ACC series are against 2009 NCAA Tournament participants: the Terps host Georgia Tech March 19-21; travel to Tallahassee to take on Florida State March 26-28; welcome North Carolina, which has made it to the past four College World Series, April 2-4; travel to Boston College April 9-11; host 2009 CWS participant Virginia April 23-25; visit Miami, which made its 37th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance in 2009, April 30-May 2; and host Clemson May 7-9.

The Terps wrap up regular season play at Wake Forest May 20-22. The ACC Tournament will be held in Greensboro, N.C., May 26-30.

(Release)

Blue Devils Release Challenging Slate

Duke Head Coach Sean McNally

North Carolina and Virginia, NCAA Super Regional qualifiers Clemson and Florida State and NCAA Regional teams Baylor, Georgia, Boston College, Miami and Georgia Tech.

Complete 2010 Duke Schedule (PDF)

Five of those series will take place at home in Durham, N.C., with four being played at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, home to the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. The home sets against North Carolina, Miami, Clemson and Virginia will all be played at the DBAP, while the three-game showdown against Florida State will be at Jack Coombs Field on the West Campus of Duke University.

The Blue Devil baseball program recently announced an agreement with the Durham Bulls to play 18 home games in 2010 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which is one of the top minor league facilities in the country and will now serve as one of the top-tier venues in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Along with the aforementioned conference series at the DBAP, Duke will also host Fordham and Temple for a pair of three-game sets at the park.

Duke’s schedule boasts 11 teams that won at least 30 games in 2009 and four that finished with at least 40 wins. Duke’s 2010 opponents combined for a 654-575 (.531) record last year. Of Duke’s 56 games scheduled for 2010, 25 will be played against 2009 NCAA Tournament participants.

Rounding out Duke’s ACC schedule will be road trips to Boston College, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and NC State. Exempt from the Blue Devils’ ACC slate this year is Maryland, which will be replaced on the 2010 slate by Florida State, who Duke has not played since 2006.

Duke will still use Jack Coombs Field, its home stadium since 1931 on the West Campus of Duke University, as a practice facility and home field. Along with the home series against Florida State, Duke will host non-conference foes Quinnipiac, High Point, William and Mary, Davidson, UNC Greensboro, North Carolina A&T and North Carolina Central at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils will also make road trips to non-conference opponents Wofford and Liberty.

Duke’s 2010 season opens on Feb. 19, 2010, in Waco, Texas, as part of the QTI Apparel Opening Weekend Classic, hosted by Baylor where Duke will face both Baylor and Georgia. The season finale takes place on May 22 at NC State, just before the start of the ACC Tournament on May 26-30 in Greensboro, N.C.

(Release)

Toby Gerhart And Golden Tate Are Among More Than 35 Players In The Report

Zach Collaros

Zach Collaros- 6’1-209 – Football: QB & Baseball: IF
Collaros batted just .204 in 49 at-bats in 2009 for the Bearcat baseball team.  However, he has had a much bigger impact this fall for the UC football team.  Collaros has passed for 1,434 yards with 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions in 2009.  He has also rushed for 344 yards and four more TDs.  He has played in all 11 Cincinnati games in 2009, including four starts after Heisman contender Tony Pike went down with injury.

Cincinnati (11-0) plays Pittsburgh (9-2) on Saturday, Dec. 5.  A win would send the Bearcats to a second straight BCS bowl.

Clemson

Kyle Parker- 6’1-200 – Football: QB & Baseball: OF
Parker graduated high school a semester early to enroll at Clemson in January 2008.  He’s a redshirt freshman on the football team, but he will be a junior on the baseball squad in 2010.

Parker has passed for 2,294 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2009.  Clemson (8-4) plays Georgia Tech (10-2) on Saturday, Dec. 5 in the ACC Championship Game.

Elon

Scott Riddle-6’0-210-Jr. – Football: QB & Baseball: IF/C
This season Riddle became the  Southern Conference record holder for career completions and passing yards.

Elon's Scott Riddle

Riddle passed for 3,345  yards with 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Phoenix in 2009.

Riddle led Elon (9-3)to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, but the Phoenix lost 16-13 to #4 Richmond in the first round.  He finished seventh in the nation with 278.7 passing yards a game.

Fairfield

Tucker Nathans-6’0-180-Jr. – Soccer: Forward & Baseball: 2B
Nathans started 10 of Fairfield’s 17 soccer games and totaled three points in 2009.  Nathans started all 47 games for the Fairfield baseball team last season, and led the Stags with a .377 average with a 1.006 OPS.

George Washington

Marshall Seedorf-6′3-185-So. – Swimming: Sprints & Baseball: P                                               Seedorf was one of just two freshman to qualify for the Atlantic 10 Championship finals in both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle events in 2009.  He pitched in relief in 13 games last season for the GW baseball team.  He is currently competing

Hofstra

Anthony Nelson-5’10-180-Jr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Nelson finished the 2009 season as  Hofstra’s second-leading receiver with 40 catches for 520 yards and four touchdowns for the (5-7) Pride.

Holy Cross

Rob Dornfried-5’8-176-Jr. – Football: K & Baseball: IF
Dornfried hit 7 of 9  field goals and 40 of 41 extra points for the Crusader football team this fall.  He played in 15 games in 2009 for the Holy Cross baseball team.

Holy Cross (9-3) won the  Patriot League title but lost 38-28 to Villanova in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

Josh Hauser-6’4-218-Fr. – Football: TE & Baseball:

Kentucky

Brian Adams-6’4-212-Fr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Adams is a true freshman who was a high school quarterback and is now making the transition to receiver in college.

Louisiana-Monroe

Kolton Browning-6’2-181-Fr. – Football: QB & Baseball: Pitcher.
Browning is a true freshman that is a back-up quarterback on the football team and is expected to pitch for the Warhawk baseball team next spring.

LSU

Chad Jones-6’3-231-Jr. – Football: Safety & Baseball: Pitcher
Like his former LSU teammate, Jared Mitchell (drafted and signed by the Chicago White Sox), Jones has both a football and a baseball national championship ring.

Jones is LSU’s fifth  leading tackler with 60 takedowns along with 3 interceptions.  Jones is also averaging 21.5 yards on six punt returns, including a 93 yarder for a touchdown vs. Mississippi State.  LSU (9-3) beat Arkansas 33-30 to close the regular season.  The Tigers will finish their season in a bowl game.

McNeese State

Jace Peterson-6’1-190-So. – Football: Safety & Baseball: IF

Jace Peterson (#6) In On A Tackle

Peterson had 39 tackles, three sacks and an interception in 2009.  He batted .366 with 16 stolen bases in limited action on the diamond last spring.

Malcolm Bronson-5’11-188-So. – Football: Safety & Baseball: OF
Bronson led the Cowboys with 75 tackles in 2009.  He also had two interceptions.

McNeese State lost 49-13 to New Hampshire in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

Minnesota

Eric Decker-6’2-215-Sr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Decker entered the season on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.  The award is given to the nation’s top receiver.  He started Minneosta’s first eight games, but suffered a foot injury against Ohio State missed the rest of the season.   Depite missing the Gopher’s last three games, Decker was still named All-Big Ten by a vote of conference coaches.  He finished the season as Minnesota’s  leading receiver with 50 catches for 758 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Nebraska

Khiry Cooper-6’2-180-rsFr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Cooper started 20 games for the Cornhusker baseball team as a true freshman
last spring.

New Mexico State

Tanner Rust-6’2-195-Fr. – Football: QB & Baseball:
Rust is the Aggie’s third-string quarterback and he plans to play baseball next spring as well.  He would be just the second athlete to play both football and baseball at New Mexico State.

Nicholls State

Mike Barba-6’1-180-Fr. – Football: WR & Baseball

Kyle Hughes-6’5-220-Sr. – Football: LB & Baseball
Hughes recorded 34 tackles with an interception for the Colonel’s (3-8) in 2009.

Kevin Persick-6’2-215-rsFr. – Football: LB & Baseball

North Carolina State

Russell Wilson-5’11-201 – Football: QB & Baseball: 2B
Wilson is a redshirt sophomore for the football team, but he will be a junior on the 2010 Wolfpack baseball squad. He

Wilson Tops The ACC With 31 TD Passes

totaled 3,027 passing yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2009, while also rushing for 260 yards and 4 more scores.   His 31 touchdown passes led the ACC.

He passed for 259 yards and 4 touchdowns to help N.C. State (5-7) upset North Carolina (8-4) to end an otherwise disappointing season for the Wolfpack.

Notre Dame

Eric Maust-6’2-190-Sr. – Football: P & Baseball: Pitcher
Maust has averaged 35.8 yards on 19 punts in 2009.  As the holder on ND’s field goal team he completed a pass to convert a first down on a fake FG vs. USC.  He was an All-Big East pitcher in 2008.

Evan Sharpley-6’2-217-Sr. – Football: QB & Baseball
Sharpley is the ND 3rd string quarterback in 2009. He was named the
team’s scout team player of the week for his impersonation of Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick prior to ND’s 35-0 win. 2009 was Sharpley’s last season with the Irish baseball team. He was picked by Seattle in the 50th round of the June MLB draft. Sharpley batted .333 with 7 HR, 29 RBIs and a 1.043 OPS for the Mariner’s AZL Rookie League team.

Golden Tate-5’11-195-Jr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Tate is one of three finalists for the 2009 Biletnikoff Award.  He’s had a record-setting season in 2009 with 93 receptions for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns (all single-season school records).  His 2,707 career receiving yards are also an Irish school record.

Tate finished the regular season with 10 catches for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 45-38 loss to Stanford.  The Irish (6-6) lost their last four regular season games, but they are bowl eligible.

Oregon State

Jordan Poyer-5’11-181-Fr. – Football: S & Baseball

Penn State

Jesse Alfreno-5’11-194-Jr. – Football: CB & Baseball: Pitcher
Alfreno was 1-0 with one save in 20 relief appearances in 2009 for the Nittany Lions baseball team.

Sacred Heart

Steve Tedesco-6’1-195-Sr. – Football: WR & Baseball: IF

Tedesco is the Sacred Heart (2-8) school record holder with 37 career touchdowns.  Tedesco had a career day with 12 catches for 144 yards and four touchdowns in the Pioneer’s season-ending 45-42 loss to Duquesne.  He finished the 2009 season with a team-high 67 receptions for 865 yards and 11 touchdowns.  He was selected to play in the 9th annuall East Coast Bowl All-Star Game.

Bobby Shepherd-6’1-180-rs Fr. – Football: P & Baseball: Pitcher
Shephard made four relief appearances and two starts in ’09 for the Sacred
Heart baseball team. He’s the football team’s back-up punter.

South Alabama

Eddy Cabrera-5’9-160-Fr. – Football: DB & Baseball: OF

This is South Alabama’s first season of college football, which makes Cabrera the first player in the 45-year history of the USA baseball program to play football and baseball.

Stanford

Toby Gerhart-6’1-235-Sr. – Football: RB & Baseball: OF
Gerhart is one of three finalists for the 2009 Doak Walker Award, which goes to the nation’s top running back.  He is also a top contender for the 2009 Heisman Trophy. Gerhart was an outfield starter for Stanford’s 2008 College World Series team.

Gerhart capped his regular season with 205 rushing yards and 3 touchdown runs in Stanford’s 45-38 win over Notre Dame.  He also complete his first career pass attempt for an 18-yard touchdown pass in the game.

As of Nov. 29 Gerhart leads the nation with 1,736 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.  His 42 career touchdowns are a Pac 10 record.  Gerhart has now topped the 200 yard mark three times this season.  Coming into 2009 no Stanford back had surpassed 200 rushing yards in a game since 1988.

Gerhart could exercise a fifth year of football eligibility (he missed most of 2007 with a knee injury) and he still has a final season of baseball eligibility remaining.  However,  he  is expected to forego those options to prepare for February’s NFL combine and, ultimately, April’s NFL draft.

Texas State

Jeff McVaney-6’2-220-So. – Football: FB & Baseball: OF/LHP
McVaney made 12 relief appearances as freshman for the 2009 Bobcat baseball team that made it to the NCAA Tournament.   The fullback had four carries for nine yards in 2009.

Villanova

Matt Szczur-5’11-195-Jr. – Football: WR & Baseball: OF

Matt Szczur

Szczur was second team All-CAA in football last season as a sophomore.  He was named the Colonial Athletic Associations Offensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year in 2009.   He is just the second player in CAA history to receive two major awards in the same season.

As a redshirt freshman in 2009 he led the baseball team with a .346 average.  Szczur was a 38th round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of high school in 2007.

Szczur’s 2009 stats include:  45 catches for 534 yards and 4 touchdowns, 86 rushes for 562 yards and 7 TDs, 3 of 3 pass attempts for 21 yards and 2 touchdowns, and 26 kickoff returns for a 27.7 average and another TD.

He and the Wildcats have playoff wins over Holy Cross and New Hampshire & are now in the FCS national semifinals.

Marlon Calbi-5’11-180-So. – Football: QB/Holder & Baseball: SS
Calbi is a third-string quarterback who has played every career game as the
team’s holder. He started more than half of the baseball team’s games at
shortstop last season.

Christian Culicerto-5’9-190-So. – Football: QB & Baseball: LHP
Culicerto is a backup quarterback on the football team who walked on to the
baseball roster last season. He pitched in two games in relief.

Kenny Miles-5’11-180-Fr. Football: WR & Baseball: OF
Miles is a highly-touted freshman in both sports. He is currently low on the depth chart for football, because the team is deep at the wide receiver position.

Wofford

Landon Bennett-6’3-200-So. – Football: K/P & Baseball: OF
Bennett had 8 punts in four games in 2008 for the football team. During the 2008 baseball season played in 25 games with 14 starts and hit .298 with 17 hits and 8 RBIs.