Courtesy of GoXavier.com
CINCINNATI – After a stunning midseason turnaround and a BIG EAST regular season title, Xavier baseball raked in conference honors on Monday. Andre Jernigan was named the unanimous BIG EAST Player of the Year and XU’s coaches took home BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year.
The awards for XU also included a total of seven all-conference recognitions. Jernigan, Dan Rizzie, Rylan Bannon and Nate Soria were each voted All-BIG EAST First Team, while Zac Lowther, Joe Gellenbeck and Garrett Schilling all received All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Jernigan, a senior from Ft. Wayne, Ind., has been a vital power source for Xavier and and ranks among the national leaders with 12 homers and 110 total bases on the year.
Xavier’s team leader in slugging percentage (.564), doubles (16) and triples (4), Jernigan stepped up in BIG EAST play, batting .274 with three homers and 15 RBI to go with a .382 on-base percentage.
A slick-fielding shortstop, Jernigan has helped Xavier set a current pace to break the school record for fielding percentage – while ranking among the national leaders in double plays turned.
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
Xavier’s coaching staff – Scott Googins, Nick Otte, Billy O’Conner and Kyle Sprague – was also recognized as the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year for the first time after leading the program to its first BIG EAST regular season title.
Googins, who won his 300th game and became XU’s all-time wins leader this season, directed a massive turnaround after a challenging non-conference schedule and slow start in league play. The Musketeers were 14-26 overall and 1-3 in BIG EAST play on April 23, but responded down the stretch. XU took five straight series in league play and won 13 of its final 15 games to close the year.
Seven All-Conference Selections
Xavier put four players on the All-BIG EAST First Team and another three on the All-BIG EAST Second Team, leading the league with seven selections total.
Senior catcher Dan Rizzie and sophomore third baseman Rylan Bannon joined Jernigan on the first team.
A standout backstop, Rizzie was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection and has been named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List three times in his career. The Orland Park, Ill. native hit .308 with four homers and 10 RBI in conference play, while leading Xavier with 20 multi-hit games this season.
Bannon was slotted into the leadoff position halfway through the season and responded well, posting a .420 on-base percentage in BIG EAST play. The sophomore third baseman drew 17 walks against 10 strikeouts in conference action, while hitting .246 with two homers and 10 RBI.
Zac Lowther, Garrett Schilling and Joe Gellenbeck were each honored on the second team.
Lowther was Xavier’s most consistent starter all season, lasting at least five innings in all 14 starts this spring. The Brooklyn Heights, Ohio native recorded a 3.10 ERA in league action, striking out 32 in 40.2 innings of work. On the year, Lowther led Xavier’s staff in wins (6), starts (14), innings (90.2) and strikeouts (76).
Schilling was a dominant stopper for Xavier out of the bullpen, racking up 11 saves and leading the relief corps with a 1.54 ERA. In BIG EAST play, Schilling saved six games and recorded three wins in 11 appearances. The Clawson, Mich. native has either a win or save in eight of Xavier’s last 14 games.
Gellenbeck, a Cincinnati native and graduate of St. Xavier, tied for the team lead with 12 homers and 110 total bases. He hit .288 with three homers and 18 RBI in league play, including three walk-off hits in his last six games.
Full List of Awards
Player of the Year
Andre Jernigan, Xavier, Sr., SS ^^
Pitcher of the Year
Thomas Hackimer, St. John’s, Sr., RP
Freshman of the Year
Josh Shaw, St. John’s, Fr., 2B
Coaching Staff of the Year
Xavier, head coach Scott Googins
All-BIG EAST First Team
Rollie Lacy, Creighton, So., SP ^
Simon Mathews, Georgetown, Jr., SP
Shane McCarthy, Seton Hall, So., SP
Hunter Schryver, Villanova, Jr., SP ^
Thomas Hackimer, St. John’s, Sr., RP ^
Max Beerman, Villanova, Sr., 1B
Todd Czinege, Villanova, Jr., 2B
Andre Jernigan, Xavier, R-Jr., SS ^
Rylan Bannon, Xavier, So., 3B
Daniel Rizzie, Xavier, R-Jr., C ^
Daniel Woodrow, Creighton, Jr., OF
Michael Donadio, St. John’s, Jr., OF ^
Derek Jenkins, Seton Hall, Sr., OF
Nate Soria, Xavier, So., DH
All-BIG EAST Second Team #
Jeff Albrecht, Creighton, Jr., SP
Matt Smith, Georgetown, Sr., SP
Cullen Dana, Seton Hall, Fr., SP
Zac Lowther, Xavier, So., SP
Garett Schilling, Xavier, So., RP
Joe Gellenbeck, Xavier, R-So., 1B
Josh Shaw, St. John’s, Fr., 2B
Nicky Lopez, Creighton, Jr., SS
Kevin Jewitt, Villanova, Sr., 3B
Chris Marras, Butler, Sr., C
Troy Dixon, St. John’s, Jr., C
Michael DeRenzi, Georgetown, So., OF
Zach Weigel, Seton Hall, Sr., OF
Adam Goss, Villanova, Sr., OF
Jake Kuzbel, Georgetown, Jr., DH
^^ – denotes unanimous selection
^ – denotes unanimous first team selection
# – due to a tie in voting, there are two catchers voted to the All-BIG EAST Second Team
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