ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Junior outfielder Matt Cotellese highlighted a list of four West Chester University baseball players, who were named Division II All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association recently.
Cotellese was a first team All-America pick by the baseball writers’ association. He hit .415 this past spring (90-for-217), setting the school record for hits in a single season (90) and tying the school mark for home runs in a campaign (12). He also set a new school standard in total bases (151) and stole 21 bases in the process. Known has having one of the strongest arms in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), Cotellese recorded four assists from the outfield this year, including gunning down the potential tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh inning in a win against Bryant in March.
Cotellese was named a first-team All-PSAC outfielder as well as the conference’s athlete of the year in the Eastern Division. He was also a Daktronics, Inc., All-North Atlantic Region first-team pick by the sports information directors.
Joining Cotellese as an All-America selection from West Chester was sophomore relief pitcher Eric Carmichael, who was a third-team selection, and honorable mention picks Jason Bowman and Drew Pare. Only Pare is a repeat All-American as selected by the writers’ association. Pare was an honorable mention pick in 2007 as well.
Carmichael smashed the school record for saves in a single season with 11 while authoring a 2-1 record in relief and a staff-low 1.03 earned-run average. The Golden Rams’ lone southpaw on the pitching staff threw 43.2 innings in 20 appearances, striking out 48 batters and allowing just five earned runs. He was a first-team All-PSAC pick as a relief pitcher and a second team all-region honoree as well this spring.
Bowman tied the school record for wins in a single season with 10. He finished the year 10-1 with a 2.41 ERA in his 12 starts this spring. The big right-hander struck out 63 batters in 74.2 innings of work and led the nation in walking just four batters all year. Bowman completed four of his 12 starts and recorded one shutout while combining on another. Opponents hit .229 against him.
Pare hit .322 on the year (65-for-202) with 17 doubles, four triples and six home runs. The Rams’ designated hitter knocked in 38 runs and posted a .535 slugging percentage. He was a first-team All-PSAC selection at the DH position.
2008 NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BASEBALL WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Mike Adams, Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Keith Hernandez, Emporia State (Kan.)
FIRST TEAM (5 SP due to ties in balloting)
Starting Pitcher – +++Mike Adams, Jr., Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
Starting Pitcher – Jim Fuller, So., Southern Connecticut State
Starting Pitcher – Brett Hontz, Sr., Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
Starting Pitcher – Korey Noles, Sr., Columbus State (Ga.)
Starting Pitcher – Ryan Schlecht, Sr., Mount Olive (N.C.)
Relief Pitcher – Justin Lamb, Sr., Valdosta State (Ga.)
Relief Pitcher – Anthony Perez, So., Tampa (Fla.)
Catcher – Keith Hernandez, Sr., Emporia State (Kan.)
First Base – +++Chad Jacobsen, Sr., South Carolina Aiken
Second Base – +Maikol Gonzalez, Sr., Tusculum (Tenn.)
Third Base – Rodney Rutherford, Sr., Columbus State (Ga.)
Shortstop – Jamie Nilsen, Sr., Central Washington
Outfield – Matt Cotellese, Jr., West Chester (Pa.)
Outfield – Mike Elkerson, Sr., Abilene Christian (Texas)
Outfield – David Thomas, Sr., Catawba (N.C.)
Designated Hitter/Utility Player – Dustin Walls, Sr., Incarnate Word (Texas)
SECOND TEAM (3 SP, 4 OF due to ties in balloting)
Starting Pitcher – Marquis Fleming, Sr., Cal State Stanislaus
Starting Pitcher – Matt Means, Sr., Sonoma State (Calif.)
Starting Pitcher – Steve Smith, Sr., Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
Relief Pitcher – +++Tyler Bishop, Sr., Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
Relief Pitcher – Chris Matlock, Jr., Central Missouri
Catcher – Jason Sherrer, Sr., Mount Olive (N.C.)
First Base – Ben Minard, So., Ashland (Ohio)
Second Base – Chas Anthony, So., Erskine (S.C.)
Third Base – Greyson Schram, So., Concord (W.Va.)
Shortstop – Randall Clay, Sr., Southeastern Oklahoma State
Outfield – Karl Derbacher, Jr., Southern Connecticut State
Outfield – John Long, Sr., Southern Arkansas
Outfield – Eric Shortell, Sr., Emporia State (Kan.)
Outfield – ++Chris Weimer, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
Designated Hitter/Utility Player – +++ Matt Adams, So., Slippery Rock (Pa.)
THIRD TEAM (2 3B due to ties in balloting)
Starting Pitcher – Anthony Bass, Jr., Wayne State (Mich.)
Starting Pitcher – Nick Schumacher, Sr., Wayne State (Neb.)
Starting Pitcher – Clint Straka, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Starting Pitcher – ++Matt Wright, Jr., Shippensburg (Pa.)
Relief Pitcher – Eric Carmichael, So., West Chester (Pa.)
Relief Pitcher – Shaun Larsen, Jr., Southern Indiana
Catcher – Reece Gorman, Sr., Metro State (Colo.)
First Base – Ian Bridges, Jr., Sonoma State (Calif.)
Second Base – Derek Bowen, Jr., West Virginia Wesleyan
Third Base (tie) – Rob Dahlberg, Jr., West Alabama
Third Base (tie) – Gene Howard, Sr., Rollins (Fla.)
Shortstop – Mike Diaz, Jr., Southern Connecticut State
Outfield – Bryan Majors, Sr., Emporia State (Kan.)
Outfield – Chris Pacheco, Jr., Incarnate Word (Texas)
Outfield – Jerry Sands, Jr., Catawba (N.C.)
Designated Hitter/Utility Player – Scott Savastano, Jr., Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
HONORABLE MENTION
Starting Pitcher – Tyler Applehans, Jr., Emporia State (Kan.); Andre Benjamin, Jr., Grand Valley State (Mich.); Jason Bowman, Jr., West Chester (Pa.); Mark Carey, Jr., Central Missouri; Blaine Cravens, Sr., Saint Joseph's (Ind.); Bobby Hernandez, Jr., Barry (Fla.); Chris Kessinger, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha; #Eric Loh, Sr., Bryant (R.I.); Matt McCarty, Jr., Shepherd (W.Va.); Boo Morrow, Jr., Tusculum (Tenn.); Peden Rucker, Sr., South Carolina Aiken; Scott Shimek, Jr., Saint Mary's (Texas).
Relief Pitcher – Zach Farry, Sr., Francis Marion (S.C.); Keith Noe, Sr., UC San Diego.
Catcher – Rickey Noland, Sr., Delta State (Miss.); Seth Paul, Sr., Indianapolis (Ind.).
First Base – Clay Calfee, Jr., Angelo State (Texas); Bryan Cook, Sr., Nova Southeastern (Fla.); Dusty Washburn, Jr., Fort Hays State (Kan.).
Second Base – Mike Baillargeon, Jr., Assumption (Mass.); Patrick Brady, So., Bellarmine (Ky.); Kyle Resser, Sr., Saint Cloud State (Minn.); #Clay Sartain, Jr., Delta State (Miss.).
Third Base – Adam Carolan, Sr., Missouri Western State; Kyle Hogue, Sr., Mesa State (Colo.); Jacob Petkac, So., Ashland (Ohio).
Shortstop – Ryan Giblin, Sr., Mansfield (Pa.); Jason Morales, Sr., North Carolina Pembroke; Evan Porter, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha; Matt Reimer, Sr., Saint Joseph's (Ind.); Chauncey Ward, Sr., Albany State (Ga.).
Outfield – Craig Brisson, So., North Georgia; Bo Darby, Fr., West Virginia State; Bryan Frew, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha; Justin Garber, Sr., Shippensburg (Pa.); Derek Hinke, Sr., Grand Valley State (Mich.); Hunter Jobes, Sr., Delta State (Miss.); Jake Palmer, Sr., Metro State (Colo.); #Kevin Renaud, Sr., Franklin Pierce (N.H.); Alex Vertcnik, Jr., Mount Olive (N.C.); Reed Welker, Sr., Saginaw Valley State (Mich.); Shannon Wilkerson, So., Augusta State (Ga.); Josh Wilson, So., Armstrong Atlantic State (Ga.).
Designated Hitter/Utility Player – Nathan Coggins, So., Albany State (Ga.); Dustin Koca, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha; Matt Miller, Sr., Mesa State (Colo.); #Drew Pare, Sr., West Chester (Pa.); Casey Robrahn, Jr., Grand Valley State (Mich.).
LEGEND
+ First team NCBWA Division II All-American in 2007 … ++ Second team NCBWA Division II All-American in 2007 … +++ Third team NCBWA Division II All-American in 2007 … # Honorable mention NCBWA Division II All-American in 2007
