SRU's Kengor Earns More Honors

Kengor earns two more All-America honors

Rock junior shortstop Will Kengor was named Wednesday as a third-team All-American by both the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

5/29/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior shortstop Will Kengor collected his second and third All-America honors Wednesday when he was named to third-team status by both the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Wednesday's honors came on the heels of Kengor's selection last Friday as a second-team Daktronics, Inc. All-America performer in voting by the nation's NCAA Division II sports information directors.

Missouri Western State University's Michael Schulze was named as the top shortstop in the nation by all three organizations. Mount Olive College's Mike Mercurio was the ABCA second-team All-America shortstop, while Benedict College's Lydell Moseby earned second-team NCBWA honors.

Kengor led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and ranked second among all NCAA Division II hitters with a .449 batting average last spring. Kengor's average was 33 points higher than his closest PSAC rival in 2013 and was the fourth-best single-season mark in Rock history.

A left-hand-hitting leadoff hitter for The Rock, Kengor led the PSAC and tied for second nationally with eight sacrifice flies and ranked second in the PSAC in total hits (79) and on base percentage (.502), third in triples (5), fourth in slugging percentage (.597) and sixth in doubles (16). His hits total was the seventh-best in Rock history. In addition, Kengor led SRU in runs batted in (28) and stolen bases (12 of 15) in 2013.

Prior to being named to the three All-America teams, Kengor was named to first-team All-Atlantic Region honors by the ABCA, NCBWA and SIDs and was a first-team All-PSAC-Western Division selection.

Kengor led SRU to a 31-21 final record, a fourth-place finish in the PSAC-Western Division final standings and a conference-best, eighth-consecutive appearance in the PSAC's postseason tournament during the 2013 season.

The Rock, under the leadership of 28-year head coach Jeff Messer graduate only three members of their 2013 squad.

Kengor was one of only four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference student-athletes who earned ABCA All-America honors, one of five PSAC players who earned NCBWA All-America honors and one of six conference players who earned Daktronics All-America honors.

A native of Pittsburgh and graduate of Central Catholic High School, Kengor was joined on the ABCA third-team All-America list by Shippensburg University infielder Pat Kregeloh, California (Pa.) catcher Kyle Petty and Millersville University pitcher Chris Murphy.

Murphy and Petty both received first-team NCBWA All-America honors, as did Shepherd University outfielder Ryan Messina, while Pitt-Johnstown second baseman Jake Warner and Millersville first baseman Zach Stone were second-team selections. Joining Kengor on the NCBWA third-team list were Winston-Salem State's Tyler Hickernell (designated hitter) and Travis Moore (outfielder), along with Shippensburg pitcher-first baseman Pat Kregeloh.

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Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Rock Hardballers Earn National Rankings

Rock hardballers earn national rankings

SRU (7-0), which is off to its best start since 2005, was ranked 18th by the
NCBWA, 25th by d2baseballnews.com and tied for 26th in the ABCA polls released
March 4-5

3/6/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock University's baseball team, winners of their first seven games this spring, earlier this week made their first appearance of the season in Division II national polls.

The Rock, who are off to their best start since the 2005 team won its first eight and 15 of its first 16 games, were ranked 18th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll released last Tuesday, 25th in the d2baseballnews.com poll released that same day and tied for 26th in the American Baseball Coaches Association poll released last Monday.

The Rock are the No. 2 team in both the NCBWA and d2baseballnews.com Atlantic Region rankings, which have no bearing on the all-important NCAA regional rankings that will determine the teams that earn berths in regional competition in mid May.

SRU, under the direction of 27-year head coach Jeff Messer,  is scheduled to put its regional and national rankings on the line this weekend when it travels to Shippensburg for a three-game weekend series starting with a noon doubleheader Saturday and concluding with a noon single game Sunday at Art Fairchild Field.

Shippensburg, coached by former Rock pitching standout Matt Jones, is ranked 13th in the NCBWA poll, 15th in the d2baseballnews.com poll and 20th in the ABCA poll.

The Rock are scheduled to open their home schedule with a March 24 doubleheader vs. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division rival Lock Haven.  First pitch at Jack Critchfield Park is set for 1 p.m.

--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell: 724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.eduwww.sru.edu

A ROCK SOLID Education

SRU's Messer Elected ABCA VP

SRU’s  Messer elected to ABCA vice president position

Rock Head Baseball Coach  Jeff Messer will become the American Baseball Coaches Association's fourth  vice president at the conclusion of the association's annual convention in  early January

11/1/2012

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock  University Head Baseball Coach Jeff Messer has been elected as the fourth vice  president of the American Baseball Coaches Association, the ABCA announced  Wednesday.

Messer, who will begin his 28th season as The Rock's head  coach, will assume his new role in early January, at the conclusion of the  ABCA's national convention in Chicago.

At that time, Messer will  relinquish his duties as the ABCA's Division II chair and as a member of the  association's board of directors, roles he has filled for the last four  seasons.

As fourth vice president, Messer will remain a member of the  ABCA's executive committee. He will return to the board of directors in  January 2016 when he assumes the role of first vice president.

Messer  will become the ABCA's president in January 2017.

Messer has a long  history of service to the ABCA. He is currently serving for the 17th  consecutive season as the regional chairperson and national poll voter for the  ABCA's Division II rankings panel. He also served eight seasons on the NCAA  Division II postseason selection committee.

A native of Lee, Mass.,  Messer has compiled an 839-499-2 (.627) career record as The Rock's head  coach. He is the active leader and ranks second all-time among Pennsylvania  collegiate baseball coaches in career victories.

Messer-coached Rock  teams have claimed 15 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division  titles, two PSAC tournament championships, two PSAC runner-up finishes, four  regional championships and two regional runner-up honors.

A graduate of  Springfield College and owner of a master's degree from Oklahoma City College,  Messer has been honored 10 times by his PSAC-Western Division peers as the  division's “Coach of the Year” and has received four regional coaching  honors.

Under Messer's leadership, the Green and White have made four  appearances in the NCAA Division II College World Series and recorded an  average of 31 victories per season.
--
Bob McComas
Sports Information  Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old  Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Cell:  724.421.5658
Email: robert.mccomas@sru.edu
www.sru.edu

A ROCK  SOLID Education

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh