June 2007 - Newswire - Athletics

July 2007

Former Community College of Rhode Island stand-out lefty pitcher Brad Hertzler, 21, retired all fifteen batters he faced in his third career minor league start on July 18. Hertzler was drafted just six weeks ago by the Oakland Athletics in the 15^th round with pick #480. He currently throws for the Vancouver Canadians, the short-season, single-A, minor league A’s affiliate. Hertzler threw just 70 pitches in Wednesday’s rain-shortened game, striking out three during the 1-0 perfect game victory.

Coming out of East Providence High School where he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in 2004, Hertzler was first drafted in the 32^nd round by the Boston Red Sox organization, but chose to attend Tallahassee Community College. There he compiled a 2-0 record with 2.038 ERA, striking out 23 in 35 innings pitched, before transferring to CCRI.

While at CCRI, Hertzler was named a First Team All-Region XXI pitcher and had a stellar season for the Knights. He led the team with a 5-1 record, a 1.469 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched. After completing his sophomore year at CCRI, Hertzler transferred to the University of Maine, where he led the team as a starter with a 3.58 ERA, 71 strikeouts, and a 4-5 record, throwing two complete games with one shutout. Season highlights included a 10-strikeout performance versus Miami, a nine-strikeout performance versus UMBC, and an eight-strikeout complete game performance versus Vermont.

Hertzler’s brother Barry, 26, currently pitches for the Boston Red Sox AA affiliate Portland Sea Dogs.

For more complete information about the Wednesday game, visit http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_07_18_spoasx_vanasx_1

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CCRI Lady Knights Head Coach Marcus Reilly Announces Stellar Recruiting Class

CCRI Women’s Basketball Team has finalized and announced its 2007 recruiting class. "Based on talent and proven track recorded of leading their respective high school programs to championship level success, the class of 2007 will challenge the CCRI record books to be the best in program history. We look forward to competing at a national level with some of the top student athletes in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Recruiting Coordinator Nicholas DiOrio and the staff have brought in a class we can all be proud of." -- Marcus Reilly Head Women’s Basketball Coach

Highlights include:

Jill Lewis (Barrington)– RI 1^st Team All State, led Barrington to RI DII State Title

Lauren Harrington (Exeter) – RI 2^nd Team All State, led Exeter-WG to RI DI Final Four

Nicole Girard (Foster) – RI All State Honorable Mention, Ponaganset High School

Jackie Ricci (North Providence) – All Division II for Regular Season 1^st place North Providence

Rachel and Jackie Murray – Highly recruited 6’2 twins from Gloucester, MA led New Hampton Prep to NEPSAC championship

Taylor Simmons – Connecticut 1^st Team All State out of Notre Dame – Fairfield

Ashley Williams – Led #1 regular season team in CT (Windsor HS) with per game double-double average

Denise Scott, a freshman in the 06-07 season was named 1^st Team All-American in leading the Lady Knights to their fourth straight national tourney and their Elite Eight finish. Scott, a full qualifier from Yonkers, NY, has re-signed to return to CCRI for her sophomore season and will then choose which four year scholarship to accept.

This years graduating class has accepted the following full scholarship offers:

o Latavia Vails – Robert Morris (NCAA Division I)

o Jennifer Kinney – Eckerd College (NCAA Division II)

o Janay Perkins – Caldwell University (NCAA Division II)

o Ana Sierra – West Virginia State (NCAA Division II)

Michelle McNamee will continue her career and education at Rhode Island College.

Men's Soccer announces tryouts

The Community College of RI Men's Soccer Team welcomes all fulltime students, to try out for its nationally recognized program.

Try outs will begin Tuesday, August 7th, 5PM at the Lincoln Campus.

Prior to the try outs all interested student athletes must complete an informational packet.

For further information please contact Victor Gaspar, vgaspar@ccri.edu or call 401-333-7363

CCRI Lady Knights Tennis All-American Augustine Chooses Pace College

Joana Augustine (Providence, RI via Leer, Niedersachsen, Germany), NJCAA Div III 2007 Women’s Tennis 2^nd team All-American in first singles, has chosen Pace University in Pleasantville, NY over Bryant University (Smithfield) in her decision to transfer to a four year school after her freshman year at CCRI. The decision was a difficult one, especially after being able to develop a relationship with Bryant Bulldog Head Coach, Barbara Cilli. The Bulldogs actively recruited Augustine after following her results at the 2007 NJCAA Women’s National Tournament this spring. Augustine Finished second at the Division III Women’s Tennis Nationals in Tucson, Arizona earning her Second Team All-American honors. Augustine, whose husband had originally expressed an interest in going to New York (where Pace is located) to pursue his career in finance, had agreed that Bryant would be a great choice for Joana, whose academic interests lie in the area of International Business. Bryant was offering a partial Athletic scholarship and the potential for academic funding to help offset the remaining tuition and fees. Pace University came through, however, with an offer the Augustines just couldn’t refuse: A full scholarship, combining academic and athletic grants, for all three years!

Augustine, a German native, has a 3.88 GPA at CCRI and is currently taking six additional credits at CCRI this summer which is likely to bring that up. She played with the CCRI men during the 2007 spring season, going 3-0 in region play, and qualifying as First Team All-Region after winning the Region XXI Tournament match in six singles. She finished her season 6-1 overall (in singles), her only singles loss coming in the National Tournament finals in Tucson, Arizona in the first singles flight.

Both Bryant and Pace Universities participate in NCAA Division II athletics.

Three CCRI Student-Athletes and one Team earn Academic All-America honors

Liz Sutton (Warwick, RI) was voted Distinguished Academic All-American with a 3.82 GPA, Ezekiel Payne (Warwick, RI) was voted Academic All-American with a 3.75 GPA, Jennie Sandahl (Falkoping Sweden) was voted Academic All-American with a 3.69 GPA, and the CCRI Women’s Tennis Team was voted Academic All-American as a team with a 3.46 cumulative GPA. Here is a, little about each of the honorees:

Liz Sutton (Warwick, RI) sophomore Women’s Soccer/ Tennis

On the soccer field Liz played 14 games with six goals and seven assists, for 19 Total points

To help lead her team to become 2006 Region XXI Champions. She was also honored as the Ralph Catuogno female Scholar-Athlete by the CCRI Athletic Department which is given to the student athletes (one male and one female) with the highest GPA.

Liz Sutton is a graduate of Pilgrim High School in Warwick, RI in 2004. While at Pilgrim she earned all-city honors in Warwick all four years she played including being named team MVP in 2002 and 2003. Liz attended Salve Regina University for one year prior to transferring to CCRI. While training and trying out for the women’s soccer team there she unfortunately incurred a serious knee injury that would require surgery. She had decided to transfer to CCRI so she could be closer to home during her post surgery rehabilitation and to continue her education. Through word of mouth, Coach Grassini found out that she was interested in our women’s soccer program upon the completion of her rehabbing. Coach Grassini knew Liz through his local neighborhood and high school where she played soccer with his daughter Stephanie and he couldn’t be happier that she would have considered the transfer to CCRI.

Liz had worked very hard at her rehabilitation and showed no ill effects during training or during tryouts as she became a part of the CCRI women’s soccer program. As a forward, Liz possesses great foot skills and as coach Grassini puts it "She could literally dribble her way out of a phone booth with two other people inside!" She is quite a deceiving player who contributed to the team by registering six (6) goals and seven (7) assists for 19 total points placing her fourth on the team. Moreover she is an excellent student-athlete as evidenced by her 3.82 cumulative GPA.

On the tennis court Sutton was a member of the Women’s Tennis Team that made a trip to the 2007 National tournament where she lost in the first round of #2 Singles.

Ezekial Payne(Warwick, RI) sophomore Men’s Soccer was honored by CCRI as the Ralph Catuogno (male) Scholar Athlete with a 3.75 GPA. He was also First Team All-Region XXI in 2006 and Honorable Mention All-East Region (NSCAA). His career stats include two goals and one assists for five total points as a Defender Ezekiel is a versatile player who made transition from forward to marking back.

Jennie Sandahl (Falkoping, Sweden) sophomore played Women’s Soccer and Tennis was voted Academic All-American with a 3.69 GPA. On the soccer field in 2006 Jennie played in 13 games scoring two goals with five assists for nine total points in 2005 she played in 17 games scoring three goals with three assists for nine total points for her career she played in 30 games scoring five goals with eight assists for 18 total points. On the tennis court Jennie was a member of the women’s tennis team that made it to the National Tournament where she finished in the final four of #4 Singles.

As a team the CCRI Women’s Tennis Team of: Joana Augustine (Providence, RI), Katie Finn (Warwick, RI), Jennie Sandahl (Falkoping, Sweden), Liz Sutton (Warwick, RI), and Vanitda Thongsithavong (Providence, RI) was voted Academic All-American with a combined 3.46 GPA.

July 2007

07.23.07

07.06.07

07.02.07