May 18, 2009

CLEARWATER, Fla. - UConn baseball freshman George Springer was named the 2009 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, announced by the conference on Monday night at the BIG EAST Baseball Championship banquet in Clearwater, Fla.

Springer, who became UConn's first ever BIG EAST Rookie of the Year award winner, began his career at UConn breaking two school records with 16 home runs. Springer also earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team, becoming the Huskies' first student-athlete to do so since 2006.

He currently holds the new school record with the most home runs in a single-season by a freshman as well as the most runs scored in a single-season by any player with 71 currently in 2009.

The freshman's 16 homers also moves him into a three-way tie in third place on the UConn single-season home runs list.

Springer had a solid regular season for the Huskies as he was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on May 3, marking the first weekly honor for the UConn ballclub in the last two years. He also earned a spot on the weekly honor roll on April 13.

With 71 hits in 197 at-bats, Springer is batting .360 for the Huskies in 52 games played. He adds 71 runs and 56 RBI to his tally as he also has 11 stolen bases on the year. This season he recorded 13 doubles and three triples and has walked 29 times, while helping the Huskies to their fourth 30+ win season in the last five years as they finished the regular season 33-23 overall.

The BIG EAST also named the 2009 Player of the Year as Louisville's third baseman Chris Dominguez became just the second player in BIG EAST history to repeat as the award winner. Pitcher of the Year went to Louisville's Justin Marks, while Coach of the Year was awarded to South Florida's Lelo Prado.

John Folino earned second team honors as he became the first UConn student-athlete to earn a spot on the second team since 2006. The senior has led the Huskies in 2009 with a 6-3 record on the hill as he has struck out a team-high 58 batters in 64.1 innings of work. He finished the regular season with a 3.92 ERA in 10 starts and threw for his first career combined shutout against South Florida back on March 27.

The Huskies begin play of the 2009 BIG EAST Baseball Championship on Tuesday, May 19 with a 5:00 p.m. battle against West Virginia at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla.


2009 BIG EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL AWARDS

BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chris Dominguez, 3B, Louisville (Jr., Miami, Fla.)

BIG EAST PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Justin Marks, LHP, Louisville (Jr., Owensboro, Ky.)

BIG EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
George Springer, OF, Connecticut (Fr., New Britain, Conn.)

BIG EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
Lelo Prado, USF

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
P     Justin Marks *      Louisville
P     Keith Cantwell      Seton Hall 
P     Randy Fontanez   USF 
P     Jarryd Summers   West Virginia
C     Tobias Streich      West Virginia
1B    Tim Morris           St. John's
2B    Chris Sedon         Pittsburgh
3B    Chris Dominguez  Louisville
SS    Jedd Gyorko        West Virginia
OF    George Springer    Connecticut
OF   A.J. Pollock          Notre Dame
OF   Justin Parks         West Virginia
DH   Chris Affinito        Seton Hall

* Unanimous selection