Celenza, Fleetwood honored with CAC awards, SU earns eight All-CAC honors
YORK, Pa. - Salisbury University junior first baseman Mike Celenza becomes the fifth player in school history to be named 2009 Capital Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year on Tuesday. SU head coach Doug Fleetwood earned his fourth straight CAC Coach of Year award, eighth overall, as the third-ranked Sea Gulls (36-6) placed eight players on the All-CAC Baseball Team.
Celenza, make his third first-team appearance, is one of eight members from this year's CAC championship team to earn a berth on the all-star squad. The Gaithersburg, Md., native leads the team in several offensive categories with a .479 batting average, .795 slugging percentage, .578 on base percentage, 70 hits, 11 home runs, 116 total bases and 33 walks. In the field, Celenza has a .997 fielding percentage, 336 put outs, 22 assists and just one error.
Senior pitcher Eric Willey, junior catcher Ryan Smith, sophomore pitcher Kyle Judson and outfielder Andrew Miller join Celenza on the first-team. Willey, last year's Co-Player of the Year and first team member, has a 9-3 record this season with an ERA of 2.50. The senior has thrown over 80 innings this season where he has recorded 72 strikeouts and has held opposing batters to a .239 batting average.
Smith is having a breakout first season with the Gulls as the junior catcher has a batting average of .376, 56 hits, nine home runs, a team-high 59 RBIs and a .624 slugging percentage. Defensively, Smith has only one error with 232 put outs and a fielding percentage of .996.
Judson garners his first all-conference honors as the sophomore pitcher is second in the nation in victories with a 9-0 record. Judson has a 2.75 ERA, has pitched 68.2 innings, thrown two complete games, struck out 62 and limited opposing batters to .230 batting average.
Miller, a first team member in '08, returns to the first team as the sophomore outfielder has a batting average of .430, scored a team-high 64 runs, 64 hits, he leads the team with 13 doubles, nine home runs and 45 RBIs. This season Miller is a perfect 26-for-26 on stolen base attempts and going back to last season he is a perfect 30-for-30 on the base paths. Miller has a .989 fielding percentage, 82 put outs and nine assists.
Senior outfielders Cody Collins and Jordan Crystal and sophomore pitcher Dustin Herbert were all named to the All-CAC second team.
Collins played in all 42 games for the Gulls where he has posted a .347 batting average, 50 runs scored, 59 hits, 11 doubles, one triple and six home runs. The Millsboro, Del., native has 11 stolen bases, 70 put outs, 46 assists and a .975 fielding percentage.
Crystal, the only Sea Gull to start all 42 games, earns all-conference honors in just his second season with SU. Crystal has a .331 batting average, 41 runs, 55 hits, 10 doubles, leads the conference with five triples, one home run and 27 RBIs. Crystal has eight stolen bases, 70 put outs, 46 assists and a fielding percentage of .975.
Herbert, the reigning CAC Rookie of the Year and first-team member in '08, follows up his freshman campaign with another strong spring performance that landed him on the all-conference second team. The left-handed pitcher posted a 7-1 record as he pitched 46 innings, struck out 40 and held opposing batters to a .236 batting average.
This is the second consecutive year a SU baseball player has been named CAC Player of the Year as Willey and Justin Armiger received co-honors in '08. Jason Ewing ('01) and Nick Pegelow ('04) also won CAC Player of the Year honors.
Coach Fleetwood, who has led the Gulls to their fourth straight and ninth overall CAC title in program history since 1995, previously won the CAC Coach of the Year award in 2001, '02, '03, '04, '06, '07, '08. Former SU head coach and current SU football assistant coach Robb Disbennett won the award in 2000.
Wesley College freshman pitcher D.J. Keckler won CAC Rookie of the Year honors.
Salisbury has earned 87 all-conference honors since 1995, 52 of the 87 selections have been to the all-conference first team.
Also see:
2009 Salisbury University Baseball All-CAC Honorees
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Mike Celenza | Kyle Judson All-CAC First Team | Andrew Miller All-CAC First Team | ||
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| Ryan Smith All-CAC First Team | Eric Willey All-CAC First Team | Cody Collins All-CAC Second Team | ||
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| Jordan Crystal All-CAC Second Team | Dustin Herbert All-CAC Second Team | Doug Fleetwood CAC Coach of the Year |
