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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

SRU Baseball Named 3 in Poll

Rock baseball team picked third in PSAC West preseason poll

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University earned the No. 3 spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division preseason baseball rankings released Tuesday by the conference office.

The Rock finished behind conference newcomer Seton Hill and Mercyhurst in voting by the division's head coaches.

Seton Hill received three of the eight first-place votes cast, while The Rock and Mercyhurst each received two No. 1 nods. The other first-place vote was cast for California, which finished fourth in the preseason voting.

Trailing the top four teams in the PSAC West preseason poll were, in order, defending division champion Gannon, Indians (Pa.), Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion.

The Rock, California, Gannon and Mercyhurst earned the four PSAC West berths in last year's state tournament

Coach Jeff Messer

Veteran SRU head coach Jeff Messer welcomes back six everyday starters and five of his top pitchers from last year's team, which compiled a 31-21 win-loss record and earned a conference-best eighth consecutive berth in the conference tournament.

Defending regional champion Shippensburg earned the No. 1 spot in the PSAC Eastern Division preseason poll, followed by Millersville, defending conference champion East Stroudsburg and West Chester.

Shippensburg and Millersville each received three first-place votes in the PSAC East poll, while East Stroudsburg and Mansfield each picked up one No. 1 nod.

Mansfield finished seventh in the PSAC East voting, trailing the top four teams as well as Kutztown and Bloomsburg. Lock Haven, which moved from the PSAC West to the PSAC East when the conference added Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown at the start of the 2013-14 academic year, was picked to finish last in this year's PSAC East competition.

The complete PSAC preseason baseball polls were as follows:

Western Division
1. Seton Hill (3)
2. Mercyhurst (2)
3. SLIPPERY ROCK (2)
4. California, Pa. (1)
5. Gannon
6. Indiana, Pa.
7. Pitt-Johnstown
8. Clarion

Eastern Division
1. Shippensburg (3)
2. Millersville (3)
3. East Stroudsburg (1)
4. West Chester
5. Kutztown
6. Bloomsburg
7. Mansfield (1)
8. Lock Haven

Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057
Office: 724.738.2777
Fax: 724.738.4761
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

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Rock Men Beat Pitt Johnstown, Lock Playoff Berth

Rock men beat UPJ, lock up PSAC playoff berth

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University’s men’s basketball team made a jaw-dropping 95.7% of its free throws Saturday afternoon en route to an 88-77 win over visiting Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division action in Morrow Field House.

SRU sank its first six charity tosses before senior guard Sa’Quan Davis missed the first of a two-shot opportunity at the midway mark of the second half.

The Rock then coolly canned the final 16 shots from the foul line to finish the game with a 22-of-23 efficiency that is believed to be the best in program history.

SRU’s hot shooting touch wasn’t confined to just the charity stripe, though. The Green and White also made 48% (28 of 58) of its field-goal attempts and a 48% (10 of 21) showing from 3-point range in the process of improving its season records to 17-7 overall and 8-4 in PSAC West action.

Most importantly, Saturday’s win assured The Rock of a fourth consecutive appearance in the conference tournament and the fifth postseason trip in six seasons under head coach Kevin Reynolds’ leadership.

The top six teams in the division standings at the conclusion of regular-season play Feb. 26 advance to the conference’s single-elimination tournament.

The Rock currently stand alone in fourth place in the division standings and travel to third-place Mercyhurst (12-9, 8-3 PSAC-West) for a 7:30 p.m. game Wednesday.

Like The Rock, Pitt-Johnstown (12-10 overall, 5-7 PSAC West) also shot the basketball well from the field Saturday. The Mountain Cats made 46% (27 of 59) of their action shots and hit 40% (6 of 15) of their 3-point attempts, but struggled from the foul line, where they made 17 of 25 (68% ).

The Rock also held a 36-31 advantage in rebounds to offset 10 turnovers, compared to nine miscues for the guests.

Senior center Maurice Lewis-Briggs again led The Rock effort with team-high totals of 17 points and eight rebounds. Lewis-Briggs was 5-for-5 on foul shots.

Junior guard Antonio Butler contributed 16 points, all of which came in the second half of action, with six rebounds and a 4-for-4 showing from the foul line in a substitute role and junior forward Kelvin Dixon had 14 points with a 7-for-7 performance at the foul line.

Senior swingman Tabari Perry chipped in 10 points (2-for-2 at the foul line), sophomore swingman Erik Raleigh scored nine points (1-for-1 at the line) and six rebounds, while Davis added nine points and six assists with a 3-for-4 effort at the foul line.

Ian Vescovi scored a game-high 23 points for Pitt-Johnstown while Bill Luther added 13 points and Matt Palo chipped in 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.

The Rock appeared to have the game well in hand midway through the first half of action thanks to a 17-2 run that gave the hosts a 24-10 lead with 9:30 left before the intermission.

But UPJ refused to go quietly and outscored SRU by a 25-17 margin in the final nine-plus minutes of the first half to trim the margin to six points, 41-35, at halftime.

The guests carried their momentum over the start of the second half of action as they scored the first 10 points to take a 45-41 lead with 17:15 left to play.

Five lead changes and four lead changes later, The Rock regained the lead for good on a layup by Lewis-Briggs with 7:30 remaining.

That basket started a 7-0 Rock run that pushed SRU’s lead to six, 64-58, one minute later before Pitt-Johnstown made its final run and trimmed the gap to three points, 68-65, with 4:15 left.

The Rock sank 10 consecutive free throws and had two layups and two 3-point shots in the final four minutes to ice the win.

SRU’s next home game is Feb. 19, when Edinboro comes to town for an 8 p.m. game.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Rock Rolls Over Kutztown

Rock football team clobbers Kutztown, 58-10

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University accumulated 611 yards in total offense Saturday afternoon en route to an easy 58-10 win over hosting Kutztown University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference “crossover” football action.

Barksdale

Senior quarterback Nigel Barksdale led the offensive effort with a 13-for-19, 307-yard, four-touchdown passing effort. Two of Barksdale’s TD tosses went to sophomore wide receiver Jaimire Dutrieuille, who finished the game with 171 pass receiving yards on five catches.

Jaimire Dutrieuille

Behind their lead, The Rock, who won for the second consecutive week and fourth time in five games this fall, collected 423 yards passing and 188 yards passing, while the winless (0-5) Golden Bears had 257 passing yards and only five rushing yards on 24 carries.

Saturday afternoon’s point total marked the fourth time in five games this fall The Rock eclipsed the 50-point mark.

Barksdale and backup QB Zack Newsock (7-of-8, 116 yards, 1 TD) combined to complete passes to 10 different receivers as The Rock continued its season-long pattern of spreading the wealth.

Senior wide receiver John Schademan caught three passes for 89 yards and one TD to complement Dutrieuille’s receiving effort.

The Rock defense picked off Kutztown freshman quarterback Alec Werner three times, sacked him twice and held him to 181 passing yards.

SRU, which had only three INTs in the first four games this fall, also intercepted two pass attempts by the Golden Bears’ backup QB, Josh Luckenbaugh to finish the day with five picks.

Werner, who entered the game ranked ninth nationally in passing yards per game with at 344.5, completed 14 of 39 pass attempts before being pulled early in the third quarter of action. Luckenbaugh was 8-of-15 for 76 passing yards in a relief role.

Kutztown freshman wide receiver Alex Tonnies was held to only two catches for 19 yards Saturday after recording a nation-leading 47 catches for 321 yards and two TDs in the first four games this fall.

SRU will look to ride the momentum of Saturday’s effort into next Saturday’s showdown with nationally-ranked PSAC-Western Division rival Indiana (Pa.). Kickoff at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium is set for 2 p.m.

The Rock needed only two plays to move 55 yards on the opening drive of Saturday’s game at Kutztown. Barksdale climaxed the drive, which was set up by a 45-yard return of the opening kickoff by senior Jimmy Zubik, with an eight-yard TD toss to Dutrieuille.

The scoring drive marked the fifth time in as many games this fall The Rock scored a TD on their first possession and the fourth time the scoring drive involved two or less plays.

Two Rock possessions later, junior running back Teddy Blakeman capped a six-play, 62-yard Rock scoring drive with a seven-yard TD run that gave SRU a 14-0 lead with 9:32 left in the first quarter.

The Rock defense got the ball right back for the offense four plays later via an interception by redshirt sophomore free safety Derek Morgan, but the attack was unable to do anything with the opportunity.

Kutztown got on the scoreboard two possessions later thanks to a 21-yard field goal that capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive aided by Rock personal-foul penalties on back-to-back plays. Thanks to the penalties, the Golden Bears had the ball first-and-goal at The Rock 6-yardline before spinning their proverbial wheels and settling for the field goal.

The Rock responded with scoring drives on each of their next three offensive possessions to take a 31-3 lead with just over eight minutes left in the first half.

Dutrieuille took a screen pass from Barksdale and rambled 64 yards to the end zone scored the second of his three TDs on the second play from scrimmage after the Kutztown field goal to put icing on a 64-yard scoring drive.

Two Rock possessions later, after junior Mike Wainauskis had converted a five-play, 47-yard drive into points with a 35-yard field goal, Dutrieuille and Barksdale connected for a 75-yard screen-pass TD to cap a two-play, 74-yard drive.

Sandwiched between the first Barksdale-to-Dutrieuille TD pass and the Wainauskis field goal was The Rock defense’s second INT, a pick junior cornerback Admire Carter returned for an apparent TD that was negated by an illegal-block penalty against The Rock.

Four plays after the second Barksdale-to-Dutrieuille TD pass, junior starting free safety Austin Miele recorded The Rock’s third INT, which he successfully returned 22 yards for a TD that gave SRU a 38-3 lead with 7:56 left in the first half.

Senior middle linebacker and co-captain Gary Allen and redshirt backup weakside linebacker Mike Grata each recorded second-half INTs to complete the list of takeaways.

Senior Brian Shaw hooked a 40-yard field attempt wide left on the next Rock possession following the second Barksdale-to-Dutrieuille TD toss before Barksdale concluded the first-half scoring outburst with a four-yard run with just over two minutes left before the intermission.

Barksdale, who played only one series in the second half before giving way to Newsock, finished the first half with 12 completions in 17 pass attempts, 305 passing yards and three passing TDs, while Dutrieuille had all five of his catches in the opening two quarters.

As a team, The Rock enjoyed a 429-175 total offense advantage in the opening two quarters of action.

Barksdale threw his fourth TD pass, a two-yard toss to senior wide receiver LaQuinn Stephens-Howling, on The Rock’s initial second-half possession to extend the Green and White’s lead to 51-3 with 12:45 left in the third period. A bobbled snap from center negated the extra-point attempt following the six-play, 43-yard scoring drive.

Newsock threw his first TD pass of the season on The Rock’s second closing-half possession as he hit Schademan for a 33-yard score that pushed SRU’s lead to 58-3 with 10:24 left in the third period. The TD toss came on the fourth play of a 54-yard Rock drive.

Kutztown got its only touchdown of the game with five minutes left to play, two plays after Newsock lost a fumble at The Rock 1-yard line.

Notes:

The Rock set a school record for points scored in the first five games of a season. This year’s squad has scored 252 points, which bettered the mark of 197 set one year ago … Barksdale ranks sixth on The Rock’s career TDs list with 32, seventh in career passing yards with 3,180, is tied for eighth in single-season TDs with 18, ranks 10th in both career completions (196) and attempts (344) and 12th in season passing yards (1,765) … Schademan moved into a tie for 10th place on the career TDs list, 11th place on the career pass receiving yards chart and 13th place on the career catches chart.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Rock Receives Votes in National Poll

Rock receive votes in AFCA Division II national poll

WACO, Texas – Slippery Rock University was included in a group of teams that received votes in the American Football Coaches Association Division II national poll released Monday.

The Rock, unbeaten after two games this fall, received two votes from a panel of head coaches representing the four super regions within the NCAA Division format.

The national ranking was The Rock’s first since they were among the teams that received votes in the 2012 preseason poll. That ranking came on the heels of SRU being listed in the AFCA top 25 four weeks during its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference runner-up season in 2011.

SRU was one of five PSAC teams and one of 10 Super Region One teams that received votes in this week’s AFCA poll.

Defending PSAC champion Indiana (Pa.) was ranked eighth, followed by the PSAC’s Bloomsburg at No. 13, Mountain East Conference member Shepherd at No. 15, defending regional champion Winston-Salem State of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association at No. 19 and the PSAC’s West Chester at No. 20.

Joining The Rock in the group of 21 teams that also received votes were PSAC-Western Division rival California (Pa.), Concord of the MEC, New Haven from the Northeast-10 Conference and Shaw from the CIAA.

Enhancing The Rock’s chances of moving up in the poll is the fact they play three of their ranked rivals head-to-head this fall. SRU hosts Indiana (Oct. 12) and California (Nov. 2) and travels to Bloomsburg (Nov. 16).

The Rock’s immediate concern is Saturday’s noon date with PSAC-Western Division rival Gannon University (1-1) in Erie. The Green and White will look to snap a string of five consecutive losses in games played along the shores of Lake Erie. SRU’s last win in Erie was a 2002 triumph over Gannon.

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

A's Take Trivino in 11th Round

Athletics select SRU's Lou Trivino in 11th round

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Oakland Athletics on Saturday made Slippery Rock University junior pitcher Lou Trivino their 11th-round pick in the 2013 amateur baseball draft.

Trivino, the 341st player selected in this year’s draft, was the first Rock baseball player drafted since catcher-first baseman Matt Adams was selected in the 23rd round (699th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2009 draft.

Adams is currently a member of the Cardinals’ Major League Baseball team.

Trivino was the second Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference player selected in this year’s draft, behind only Mansfield University pitcher Nick Keener, the 10th-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A native of Green Lane, Pa., and graduate of Upper Bucks Christian High School, Trivino has one collegiate season of eligibility remaining, but is expected to sign a professional contract in the next few days.

Trivino will probably start his pro career as a member of the Athletics’ rookie-league team in Arizona. But the 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander may instead be assigned to the Burlington-based Vermont Lake Monsters, Oakland’s short-season Class A, New York-Penn League team, or the Beloit Snappers, Oakland’s long-season Class A, Midwest League team based in Wisconsin.

As a member of The Rock last spring, Trivino compiled a 7-5 win-loss record with a 1.83 earned run average and set SRU single-season (92) and career (227) strikeout records.

Trivino pitched eight complete games, one no-hit shutout and five total shutouts in 12 starts as a junior and led the PSAC in opposing hitters’ batting average (.193) while ranking second in ERA and third in strikeouts

Those numbers earned Trivino first-team Daktronics, Inc., All-Atlantic Region, second-team American Baseball Coaches Association all-region, honorable mention National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association all-region and second-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division honors in 2013.

Trivino was a first-team NCBWA and Daktronics all-region, first-team All-PSAC-West and honorable mention NCBWA All-America selection as a sophomore in 2012 after he completed an 8-3 record with a 1.78 ERA. He earned second-team All-PSAC-West and honorable mention NCBWA all-region honors as a freshman in 2011.

The highest-drafted Rock player since Gary Gill was an eighth-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, Trivino was the fifth highest overall pick in SRU baseball history.

Right-handed pitcher Garry Grafton, a sixth-round selection by the Detroit Tigers in the 1976 draft, stands as SRU’s highest-picked player. Gill and Grafton’s teammate and fellow right-handed pitcher Kevin Keenan (1976, Texas Rangers) were both eighth-round picks and in 1976. Right-hander Geoff Meadows was the 10th-round pick of the Houston Astros in 1981.

Trivino was the 19th Rock baseball player selected in the amateur baseball draft and the first since both Craig Petulla and Tom Sullivan were picked in the 2000 draft.

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

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Mihalik Earns Sportsmanship Award

SRU's Mihalik earns sportsmanship award from officials association

Rock head coach George Mihalik was named last Friday as the 2012 recipient of the Eastern Collegiate Football Officials Association's sportsmanship award

6/3/2013

PIPERSVILLE, Pa. – Slippery Rock University Head Football Coach George Mihalik was named last Friday as the 2012 recipient of the Eastern Collegiate Football Officials Association's sportsmanship award.

Mihalik will receive his award during the ECFOA's annual clinic Aug. 3-4 at West Chester University.

“Each year the officials in the ECFOA select a coach who by his actions demonstrates the highest ideals of sportsmanship,” ECFOA spokesman Dennis Crim said in a letter announcing Mihalik's selection as the award winner.

George Mihalik

“[Coach Mihalik's] interaction with officials, players, and coaches exemplifies the highest ideals of collegiate athletics,” Crim said. “By his actions, he set a bench mark for his players and coaches to follow. It is always a pleasure for our officials to work Slippery Rock games.”

This year's award is the second Mihalik from an officials' organization. He was named in 1999 as the Tri-State Officials' Association's “Coach of the Year.”

Mihalik has also received four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division and two regional “Coach of the Year” honors in recognition of his leading SRU to five PSAC-West championships and three appearances in the NCAA Division II national playoffs.

SRU's all-time leader in career victories, Mihalik ranks second among active PSAC head coaches and fifth on the conference's all-time wins list with a 168-102-4 record in 25 seasons as head coach.

[http://www.rockathletics.com/images/2012/10/4/xsmall_Mihalik%20with%20headset%20on.jpg]
Mihalik has been part of The Rock football program every season except one since enrolling as a freshman quarterback in the fall of 1970. He was the starting signal caller for The Rock's 1972 and 1973 PSAC championship teams prior to joining the Green and White coaching staff.

In September of 2011, SRU officials recognized Mihalik's commitment to the University by renaming the former N. Kerr Thompson Stadium as “Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.”

Mihalik is currently serving as a tri-chair for SRU's upcoming 125th Celebration steering committee.

A native of Colver and graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg, Mihalik has been inducted into five halls of fame: SRU Athletic (1997), Butler Area Sports (2001), Cambria County Sports (2006), Bishop Carroll (2012) and Pennsylvania Sports Western Chapter (2012).

Mihalik, in addition to serving as The Rock's head football coach, is one of a very few collegiate head coaches who owns a doctorate degree and/or remains an active member of his college or university's academic faculty.

A full professor in SRU's safety management department within the College of Business Information and Social Sciences, Mihalik earned both his bachelor's (1974) and master's (1976) degrees from SRU and added an Ed.D. degree in safety management from West Virginia University in 1986.

--
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

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Kyle Schneider Pitches Shut Out to Sweep IUP

Rock hardballers sweep IUP

Kyle Schneider pitched a three-hit shutout to lead SRU (27-15 overall, 9-7 PSAC-West) to a 3-0 win in Sunday's first game before The Rock overcame an IUP comeback to win Game 2 by a 4-3 score

4/21/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University's baseball team swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader Sunday vs. Indiana U. of Pa., 3-0 and 4-3, at Jack Critchfield Park to move into sole possession of fourth place in the division standings.

The wins gave The Rock (27-15 overall, 9-7 PSAC-West) a 3-1 record in the weekend/season series vs. IUP and a 4-2 record for the week.

IUP fell to 21-16 overall, 7-9 in PSAC-West action, the latter mark putting them in sixth place in the seven-team division standings.

The Rock and Crimson Hawks each have four division games left to play this spring as they seek to earn one of the four PSAC tournament berths that will be awarded to Western Division teams.

SRU faces a stiff challenge in its bid for a postseason berth. The Green and White have four games each vs. division co-leaders California (Pa.) and Gannon left on their schedule, starting with Friday's 1 p.m. home doubleheader vs. California. The Rock and Vulcans (27-12, 11-5) are scheduled to close out their series with a 1 p.m. twinbill next Saturday at Consol Energy Park in Washington, Pa.

The Rock travel to Gannon (19-13, 11-5) for a May 3 doubleheader (1 p.m. first pitch) before closing out their regular-season schedule with a 4 p.m. doubleheader May 4 at Critchfield Park.

Kyle Schneider

Sophomore right-hander Kyle Schneider pitched a three-hit shutout to lead The Rock to their Game 1 win Sunday. Schneider, who improved his season win-loss record to 5-3, struck out four and walked one in the process of recording his fifth complete-game performance of the season.

Three players were each 2-for-3 to lead a 10-hit Rock offensive attack. Junior right fielder Graeme Zaparzynski had a single and an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored two runs, senior first baseman John Shaffer had two singles, including an RBI single in the sixth, and junior shortstop Will Kengor had a pair of singles and one run scored.

Zaparzynski and Shaffer had back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the fourth, when The Rock took advantage of two IUP errors to score their first run of the game.

Kengor singled and scored all the way from first base on Zaparzynski's RBI double to left field. Zaparzynski promptly came around on Shaffer's RBI single to give SRU a 3-0 lead and ultimately close out the scoring.

IUP did not get a runner to second base until two outs had been recorded in the top of the seventh and final inning of Game 1. Schneider then induced a game-ending popout to shut the door.

SRU scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning in Game 2 to take an early lead, only to see IUP score three times in the top of the fifth.

Sophomore third baseman Jordan Faretta's RBI double highlighted SRU's second-inning rally. The second Rock run scored on a two-out wild pitch.

IUP manufactured its three fifth-inning tallies from four hits and a base on balls issued by Rock starting and winning pitcher Jon Anderson.

Undaunted, The Rock scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead and ultimately win the game. Key hits in the rally were a leadoff double by Kengor and an RBI single by junior center fielder Jake Weibley.

Kengor scored the first run of the inning on an IUP throwing error.

Sophomore southpaw Anton Constantino relieved Anderson with two outs in the top of the fifth, after IUP had scored two runs, and was greeted by an RBI single but quickly settled down and was credited with his second save of the season and second in his last two relief appearances.

Constantino induced an inning-ending ground out to extinguish the IUP rally in the fifth, sidestepped a leadoff single to retire IUP quietly in the sixth and got a double-play ground out to erase the potential tying run in the top of the seventh.

Anderson, who improved his season record to 4-0, allowed three earned runs on three hits, struck out two, walked three and hit one batter in the first four and two-thirds innings.

Constantino allowed two hits and walked one in the final two and one-third innings.

Kengor and Weibley had two hits each to lead a seven-hit Rock offensive attack.

Notes: With their wins Sunday, The Rock surpassed their final win total of one year ago, when they settled for a 25-25-1 final record … The next Rock win will give the Green and White their first 30-win season since the 2009 team finished with a 36-15 record … Kengor ended the day with a .438 batting average, which ranks as the top mark among PSAC players this spring. He also leads the conference in total hits with 60 and in sacrifice flies with eight. Kengor ranks third in triples (5) and on base percentage (.497), sixth in slugging percentage (.584) and ninth in runs scored (32) … Schneider ranks second among PSAC pitchers with a 1.33 ERA and is seventh in opposing hitters' batting average with a .209 mark … Rock junior right-hander Lou Trivino is third in the PSAC in opposing hitters' average (.194), fourth in strikeouts (66) and ninth in ERA (1.93) … Junior right-hander John Kovalik is tied for the conference lead in saves with six … As a team, The Rock rank second in ERA (2.94) and sixth in batting average (.303).

--
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

Friday, April 5, 2013

The Rock Announces 2013 Football Schedule

SRU announces 2013 football schedule

The Rock will play five home games and six road games this fall, starting with the Sept. 7 season opener at Northwood University in Michigan

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The 2013 Slippery Rock University football schedule, which was released Tuesday by veteran head coach George Mihalik, presents another stiff challenge to the Green and White in their quest for Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II regional honors.

The Rock face six teams that finished the 2012 season with a winning record and three teams that competed in the NCAA playoffs: PSAC champion and Super Region One runner-up Indiana U. of Pa. (12-2 final record), conference runner-up Shippensburg (11-2) and Bloomsburg (10-2).

SRU also takes on Mercyhurst (9-2), California, Pa. (8-3) and Kutztown (7-4) programs that had winning seasons in 2012.

All told, The Rock’s 2013 rivals compiled a 73-53 (.579) win-loss record last fall.

The Rock will play six road games and five home games in 2013.

If there is an upside to The Rock’s 2013 schedule it is the fact SRU will host four games against teams that had winning records last fall.

SRU’s home opener is a Week 2, Sept. 14 date with Shippensburg. The Rock also host Mercyhurst (Sept. 28), IUP (Oct. 12) and California (Nov. 2), along with backyard rival Clarion (4-7) in the fourth annual Milk Jug game Oct. 19.

The game vs. Shippensburg will be held as part of SRU’s Friends & Family Weekend and the Slippery Rock Borough’s VillageFest event.

The annual SRU Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held as part of the home football weekend revolving around the game against Mercyhurst, while The Rock’s 2013 Homecoming Game foe will be Clarion.

The Rock’s season opener is a Sept. 7 road game at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. The Timberwolves had a 5-6 record last fall.

SRU also visits Gannon (3-8), Kutztown (7-4), Edinboro (4-6), new PSAC rival Seton Hill (0-11) and Bloomsburg.

Interesting sidenote: The Rock will face three teams under the direction of first-year head coaches. Drew Folmar ascended from the offensive coordinator position to the top position at Kutztown, longtime defensive coordinator Paul Darragh is the interim head coach at Bloomsburg and Isaac Collins takes over the reins at Seton Hill after serving as head coach at Division III Widener College.

The complete 2013 Rock football schedule is as follows:

Sept. 7 at Northwood, Mich., noon
Sept. 14 SHIPPENSBURG, 6 p.m. (VillageFest/Family Weekend)
Sept. 21 * at Gannon, TBA
Sept. 28 * MERCYHURST, 6 p.m. (Hall of Fame)
Oct. 5 at Kutztown, 1:05 p.m.
Oct. 12 * INDIANA (PA), 6 p.m.
Oct. 19 * CLARION, 2 p.m. (Homecoming)
Oct. 26 * at Edinboro, Noon
Nov. 2 * CALIFORNIA (PA), 1 p.m.
Nov. 9 * at Seton Hill, 12:30 p.m.
Nov. 16 at Bloomsburg, Noon

HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS

* PSAC-Western Division games

--
Bob McComas
Sports Information Director
Slippery Rock University
1 Morrow Way - Room 201 Old Main
Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Gerald Brooks Player of the Week

Brooks earns PSAC-West weekly honor

Rock senior forward Gerald Brooks was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division "Player of the Week" after averaging 13.5 points and 14.0 rebounds in two SRU wins last week

2/18/2013

Gerald Brooks

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University senior forward Gerald Brooks was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division men's basketball “Player of the Week.”

A 6-foot-5, 230-pound native of Pittsburgh and graduate of Schenley High School, Brooks earned the honor by averaging 13.5 points and 14.0 rebounds in two Rock wins last week.

Brooks scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in SRU's 94-76 home win over Lock Haven Feb. 13 and had 11 points and 13 rebounds in last Saturday's win over Edinboro in Morrow Field House.

Brooks shot 42% (11 of 26) from the field and 83% (5 of 6) from the foul line in last week's action. He was 0-for-3 on 3-point shots and handed out four assists.

Behind Brooks' lead, SRU was the only PSAC-West men's team to record a pair of victories in as many games last week and, more importantly, remained tied for second place in the PSAC-West standings.

The Rock, owners of 17-6 overall and 14-5 PSAC records, share the No. 2 spot with Gannon (20-5, 14-5), one game behind division-leading Indiana, Pa. (19-4, 15-4) with three games remaining on each team's regular-season schedule.

SRU travels to sixth-place California, Pa. (10-13, 9-10) for a 7:30 p.m. game Wednesday before meeting IUP and Gannon back-to-back in the final regular-season games. The Rock host IUP in a 3 p.m. game Saturday, then travel to Erie for a 7:30 p.m. game at Gannon Feb. 27.

The Rock are also assured of playing at least one game in the PSAC tournament. The postseason berth is the third consecutive claimed by the Green and White and fourth in five seasons under head coach Kevin Reynolds.

Brooks, a 2012-13 Basketball Times Preseason All-Americas selection, is currently averaging 12.3 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in his first season with The Rock. He ranks second on the team in rebounding, third on the team in scoring and fourth among PSAC players in rebounds.

Prior to joining The Rock, Brooks earned three All-PSAC-West honors at IUP. He was the division's Rookie of the Year and earned second-team all-conference honors in 2006-07 before claiming first-team All-PSAC-West honors in both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.

Brooks scored 1,103 points and grabbed 544 rebounds in three seasons at IUP. He ranks 15th on the school's career rebounds list and is 20th in career scoring.

This winter at SRU, Brooks has scored 10 or more points in 13 of the 17 games in which he has played and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in eight games.
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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

Monday, January 21, 2013

Cunningham Named Athlete of the Week

Cunningham earns PSAC-Western Division "Athlete of the Week" honor

Rock senior guard Erinne Cunningham was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division "Athlete of the Week" after averaging 16.5 points per game in two victories last weekend

1/14/2013

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University senior guard Erinne Cunningham was named Monday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division women's basketball “Athlete of the Week.”

Erinne Cunningham

Cunningham earned the honor by averaging 16.5 points per game in a pair of Rock wins last weekend over PSAC rivals in Morrow Field House. She scored 10 points in SRU's 58-46 win over East Stroudsburg last Friday and poured in 23 points in last Saturday's 66-60 win over Kutztown.

A 5-foot-7 native of Jamestown, N.Y. and graduate of Jamestown High School, Cunningham made nine of 25 shots from the field in the two games. She was 6-of-16 from 3-point range and 9-of-10 from the foul line.

Cunningham grabbed 12 rebounds, handed out six assists, recorded four steals and blocked one shot in the two games for The Rock, who own a 4-9 overall record and are 3-6 in conference games.

A former standout at Monroe Community College in Michigan, Cunningham played 72 of a possible 80 minutes in last weekend's games.

The back-to-back wins last weekend moved SRU into a tie for sixth place in the PSAC-Western Division standings and gave The Rock their longest string of success since they put together three consecutive wins from Dec. 19, 2011 to Jan. 6, 2012.

The top six teams in the division at the end of regular-season competition Feb. 27 will earn berths in the conference tournament. The Rock hope to earn their first playoff berth since the 2005-06 season.

Cunningham and her teammates start at string of 13 consecutive PSAC-West games Wednesday with a 6 p.m. game at Lock Haven.

The Rock, led by third-year head coach Tanya Longo, return home to entertain Mercyhurst in a 1 p.m. game Saturday and host California (Pa.) in a 6 p.m. game next Wednesday, Jan. 23.
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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

Monday, January 14, 2013

Clark, Rock Cruise in Kutztown Win

Clark-led Rock cruise to 99-76 win over Kutztown

Darious Clark scored 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Slippery Rock to a 99-76 win over Kutztown Saturday night

1/12/2013

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Senior guard Darious Clark (Clinton, Md./Surrattsville HS) buried seven 3-point shots en route to a 33-point scoring night Saturday night to lead hosting Slippery Rock University to a 99-76 win over Kutztown University in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference men's basketball crossover action in Morrow Field House.

Clark was one of five Rock players who finished the game with double-figure scoring totals as The Rock improved their season records to 10-3 overall and 7-2 in conference action and remained tied with 21st-ranked Indiana (Pa.) for first place in the PSAC-Western Division standings.

Senior forward Devin Taylor (New Castle/New Castle HS) scored 16 points and five rebounds, senior center Luiz Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil/College Avanco) had 14 points and six rebounds, senior forward Gerald Brooks (Pittsburgh/Schenley HS) added 12 points and 10 rebounds, junior guard Sa'Quan Davis (Washington, D.C./Suitland HS) hit three treys en route to an 11-point outing and senior guard Aubin Reeves (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone HS) handed out eight assists.

Micah Fraction scored a game-high 35 points for Kutztown, which sustained its fifth consecutive loss and saw its season records drop to 3-12, 2-7. Tracy Peal added 13 points for the Golden Bears.

The Rock hit 54.5% (36-66) of their field-goal attempts, including an 11-of-20 (55%) efficiency from 3-point range, and canned 16 of 20 free throws.

The hosts also outrebounded their guests by a 42-30 margin, the 12th time in 13 games this winter the Green and White have ruled the backboards.

SRU committed 13 turnovers, compared to 11 for Kutztown, and recorded 10 blocked shots. Junior swingman Tabari Perry ejected three shots, Taylor and Santos each swatted down two attempts and Brooks, Clark and Reeves each had one block.

Kutztown finished the game with a 42% (26-62) efficiency on its field-goal attempts, with a 6-of-17 (35%) showing from beyond the arc, and made 69% (18-26) of its free throws.

The Rock never trailed in the game as they scored the first four points. Kutztown trimmed the lead to one point. 7-6, with 17:30 left to play in the first half and trailed by only six points, 22-26, with 12 minutes left before the intermission.

SRU then ran off 15 answered points in the span of four minutes to take a 37-16 lead. Kutztown never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

The Rock built their 37-16 lead on a 15-of-20 efficiency from the field that included a 7-of-11 effort from 3-point range in the first 12 minutes of action.

The margin was 22 points, 50-28, at halftime and grew as large as 31 points (75-44 with 10:30 left to play).

Saturday's game marked the end of this winter's PSAC crossover series. The Rock, who won six of the eight games against PSAC-Eastern Division rivals, open their PSAC-Western Division schedule with a Wednesday road trip to Lock Haven (6-6 overall, 4-5 PSAC). Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

The Rock return home next Saturday, to host Mercyhurst in a 3 p.m. game. Mercyhurst currently owns a 10-5 overall record and, with a 6-3 conference record, is tied with Gannon (12-3) for third place in the PSAC-West standings, one game behind The Rock and Indiana.

Notes: Clark's treys total Saturday night was one shy of the school record shared by three players, mostly recently by Michael Evans Jr. vs. Ashland University in the 2008-09 season … Clark's points total was the highest recorded by a Rock player since Jan. 29, 2011, when All-America performer Maron Brown scored 33 at Edinboro University … Taylor ranks 18th on The Rock's career rebounding list with 572, two behind Peyton Tomblin (574 from 1971-74) and five behind Curt Williams (577 from 1984-88) … Taylor is 130 points away from becoming the 22nd player in Rock men's basketball history to score 1,000 career points … The Rock's win total after 13 games this winter is one shy of the best-ever, 11-2 start recorded by six teams and one win better than the starts for the 2008-09, 2010-11 and 2011-12 teams that earned berth in the PSAC tournament.

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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

SRU's Saunders Named Hansen 3rd Team Performer

CLARION, Pa. – Slippery Rock University's Anthony Saunders was named Tuesday as a third-team Don Hansen Division II All-Super Region One performer by the Don Hansen Football Committee.

A 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior cornerback from New Kensington and Valley High School, Saunders led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and ranked 11th among NCAA Division II players in passes defended with 17 (14 broken up, three interceptions).

Saunders accumulated 105 yards on interception returns, highlighted by two he turned into touchdowns, a 50-yarder in the season-opening win Aug. 30 over Seton Hill and a 42-yarder in the Sept. 15 win over Gannon.

As a sophomore, Saunders picked off two passes, one of which he returned 59 yards to the Mercyhurst 1-yard line to set up the winning touchdown in a 28-21 Rock victory. Saunders also recorded one interception as a redshirt freshman in 2010.

Billed by his coaches as The Rock's “lockdown corner,” Saunders also ranked fourth on the team last fall with 62 total tackles (42 solo, 20 assisted). As a sophomore and first-year starter on The Rock's 2011 PSAC-West championship and conference runner-up squad, Saunders recorded 42 tackles.

One of seven Rock football student-athletes who earned All-PSAC-West second-team honors in 2012, Saunders headlines a list of nine Rock defensive starters expected to return for the 2013 season.

The Rock, led by 25-year head coach George Mihalik, ended the 2012 season with a 6-5 overall record and a 5-2 division record and finished third in the eight-team PSAC-Western Division.

SRU, which won four of its last five games last fall, and Bloomsburg are the only PSAC teams that recorded a winning record in each of the last four seasons.

--
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

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Nigel Barksdale Earns Offensive Athlete of the Week Honor

Barksdale earns PSAC-West weekly honor

Rock junior quarterback Nigel Barksdale was named as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division football "Offensive Athlete of the Week" in recognition of his performance in leading SRU to a 28-26 upset of #13 California (Pa.) last Saturday

10/28/2012

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University junior quarterback Nigel Barksdale was named Sunday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division football “Offensive Athlete of the Week.”

Barksdale earned the honor for his effort in leading The Rock to a 28-26 upset win last Saturday over 13th-ranked California (Pa.) on the Vulcans' home field.

The win was SRU's second in as many seasons against the Vulcans (7-2, 5-1 PSAC-W) and extended their current win streak to three games.

A native of San Jacinto, Calif., Barksdale accumulated 402 yards in total offense against a California defense that ranked sixth in the PSAC in total yards allowed with a 368 per-game average.

Barksdale completed 15 of 22 passes for a season-high 283 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for 119 yards and one TD against a Vulcans' rushing defense that ranked third in the PSAC with a 113 yards per game allowance rate.

Saturday's game marked the fourth time in as many starts this fall Barksdale passed for more than 230 yards. He has now passed for 1,040 yards and nine TDs and rushed for 462 yards and six TDs as The Rock's starting signal caller.

The Athlete of the Week honor was Barksdale's second in the last three weeks. He also won the honor Oct. 14.

Barksdale's honor this week was the third received by a Rock football student-athlete in as many weeks and the fourth awarded to an SRU player this fall. Senior defensive end Jeff Thompson was the PSAC-West defensive selection Oct. 21, while redshirt sophomore free safety Isaiah Coleman was the Sept. 16 recipient of the defensive honor.

The Rock puts its three-game win streak and 5-4 overall, 4-2 PSAC-West records on the line Saturday when it hosts winless (0-9, 0-6) Lock Haven in a 1 p.m. game at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

SRU then closes out its 2012 schedule with a 1 p.m. game Nov. 10 against Bloomsburg (8-1). Seven Rock seniors will be honored prior to their final collegiate game.

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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