FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2013
SOUTH EASTON, Mass. – Eight student-athletes representing Northeast-10 Conference member institutions have been selected as East Region Preseason All-Americans by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). The selections were announced in the January 6 edition of Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Leading the way was Franklin Pierce University with three All-American selections in junior first baseman Zach Mathieu, sophomore catcher Matt Walsh and senior outfielder Nick LaCroix.
Mathieu (pictured), the reigning Northeast-10 Player of the Year and a 2012 Tino Martinez Division II Player of the Year semifinalist, hit .370 with 13 home runs, 49 RBI and a .672 slugging percentage a year ago for the Ravens, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight year.
Walsh was named the Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year after hitting .329 with 40 RBI and 32 runs scored, while starting all 58 games behind the plate for Franklin Pierce.
LaCroix is coming off a season in which he hit .355 with 44 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.
Southern New Hampshire University, coming off its first-ever College World Series appearance last June, had two named ABCA All-Americans in senior shortstop Matt Boulter and junior right-hander Alex Powers.
Boulter hit .299 with a .423 on-base percentage last year, while Powers was arguably one of the top relief pitchers in the nation, striking out 48 in a mere 29.2 innings pitched (14.56 K/9) with a 1.52 ERA and eight saves. Powers will join the starting rotation for the Penmen this spring.
Assumption College shortstop Shane Keddy, a senior, was lauded after he led the NE-10 with a .389 batting average in 2012.
University of Massachusetts Lowell redshirt senior James Katsiroubas was also an All-American pick after hitting .351 with 39 RBI and 38 runs scored for the River Hawks last season.
Saint Anselm College senior first baseman Robert Kelly was chosen as well after hitting .310 with 10 homers and 51 RBI a year ago to help lead the Hawks to their first-ever NCAA East Regional appearance.
Seven more were featured on the organization's 'Players to Watch' list, while an additional seven were selected as 'Newcomers to Watch.' Both lists are available below.
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
Players to Watch
3B Travis Smith, Assumption
RHP Ryan Thompson*, Franklin Pierce
SS Geoff Degroot, UMass Lowell
RHP Alek Morency, Merrimack
OF Dan Lagasse, Saint Anselm
CF Nicky Elderton, Saint Michael's
OF Jon Minucci, So. New Hampshire
Newcomers to Watch
INF Ben Benigno, Assumption
RHP Trevor Graham, Franklin Pierce
CF Luke Reynolds, UMass Lowell
1B Matt Brown, Merrimack
LHP Tom Hudon, Saint Anselm
P Zach Tandy, Saint Michael's
INF Andrew Pezzuto, So. New Hampshire
* - 2011 MLB Draft selection
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