UW-Oshkosh's Jirschele and UW-Stevens Point's Wiczek Share Position Player of the Year Award; UW-Whitewater's Reinhard Named Pitcher of the Year

NEWS RELEASE
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Matt Stanek * Sports Information Director * 780 Regent Street * Madison, WI 53715 * Phone: (608) 265-6406 * www.uwsa.edu/wiac/

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 18, 2005

UW-Oshkosh's Jirschele and UW-Stevens Point's Wiczek Share Position Player of the Year Award; UW-Whitewater's Reinhard Named Pitcher of the Year

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Jeremy Jirschele and UW-Stevens Point's Steve Wiczek have been named Co-Position Players of the Year and UW-Whitewater's Greg Reinhard was selected the Pitcher of the Year to headline the 20 individuals voted to the 2005 all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Baseball Team by the league coaches.

Jirschele secured the Player of the Year award for the second straight season after leading the conference with 19 doubles, while ranking second with four triples, third with a .438 batting average, a .520 on-base percentage and 71 hits, seventh with a .698 slugging percentage, eighth with 49 RBIs and 199 plate appearances and ninth with 50 runs scored. He holds the WIAC career record with 660 at-bats and 53 doubles, while finishing second with 253 hits and fifth with 177 runs scored.

Jirschele recorded a hit in 37 of 42 games this year, including 22 multi-hit contests and 14 multi-RBI performances. He started all 169 games throughout his four-year career at UW-Oshkosh and played defensively in every out recorded by the Titans during that span - a total of 4,192 outs. Jirschele was a honorable mention selection in 2003.

Wiczek leads the conference with a .468 batting average, a .848 slugging percentage, a .537 slugging percentage, 16 home runs and 80 hits, while ranking second with 64 RBIs, third with 17 doubles, fourth with 171 at-bats, fifth with 58 runs scored and seventh with 201 plate appearances.

Wiczek has hit safely in 42 of the Pointers' 44 games this season, including 25 multi-hit performances and 19 multi-RBI contests. His 80 hits, 64 RBIs, 16 home runs and 145 total bases this year have established school single-season records.

Reinhard leads the league with a 1.33 earned run average, 120 strikeouts, 81.1 innings pitched and a .134 opponent batting average, while ranking second with nine wins. His 120 strikeouts this year are a conference single-season record. Reinhard set a WIAC single-game record with 19 strikeouts against UW-Stout on April 17. He also had six games with 10 or more strikeouts this year. Reinhard was a first team selection last season.

UW-Whitewater had a league-high six individuals united with Reinhard on the first team after the squad claimed its third consecutive conference championship and fifth in the last six seasons.

Eddie Adamson leads the WIAC with 65 RBIs, while ranking second with a .451 batting average, .529 on-base percentage, 73 hits and 18 doubles, third with a .741 slugging percentage, eighth with nine home runs and ninth with 24 walks.

Eric Baldwin places third in the conference with 61 RBIs, sixth with 11 home runs, seventh with 53 runs scored and eighth with a .691 slugging percentage. He was a honorable mention choice in 2004.

Dan Gnatzig ranks second in the league with 64 runs scored, fourth with 208 plate appearances and 69 hits, fifth with a .411 batting average, sixth with 168 at-bats and seventh with a .498 on-base percentage. He claimed honorable mention accolades during the 2003 campaign.

Aaron Guilbault was a honorable mention selection a season ago. This year, he is sixth in the WIAC with 55 runs scored, eighth with a .485 on-base percentage and 63 hits and ninth with 48 RBIs.

Ross Klawitter leads the conference with 211 plate appearances, 65 runs scored and 36 walks, while placing fourth with a .726 slugging percentage, a .519 on-base percentage, 57 RBIs, 12 home runs and 16 doubles, sixth with 65 hits and 10th with a .396 batting average and 164 at-bats.

Kevin Tomasiewicz also secured first team status during the 2003 season. This year, he has tied the conference single-season record with 12 wins, while ranking second with a 2.76 earned run average, 78.1 innings pitched, 82 strikeouts, a .228 opponent batting average and fourth with 15 appearances. Tomasiewicz is the league's all-time leader with 32 victories.

UW-Stevens Point's Wizcek is joined on the first team by teammates Chuck Brehm, Jake Frombach, Ryan Jones and J.C. Reinke. Brehm places third in the league with 13 home runs, fifth with a .715 slugging percentage, sixth with 12 stolen bases, seventh with 53 runs scored and 51 RBIs, eighth with 63 hits and ninth with a .399 batting average and a .484 on-base percentage. He claimed honorable mention honors a season ago.

Frombach leads the conference with 211 plate appearances and 184 at-bats, while ranking fifth with 67 hits, eighth with 14 doubles and 10th with 49 runs scored. He was a first team selection last year after claiming honorable mention status in 2003.

Jones secured first team recognition for the third time in his career after leading the league with 16 home runs, while placing third with 63 runs scored and 29 walks, fifth with 53 RBIs and 205 plate appearances and sixth with 168 at-bats and a .702 slugging percentage. Jones' 16 home runs this year are a school single-season record and he holds UW-Stevens Point's career records with 583 at-bats, 203 hits, 185 runs scored, 165 RBIs, 49 home runs and 387 total bases. He also claimed first team honors in 2003 and 2002.

Reinke is third in the WIAC with a 2.82 earned run average and a .242 opponent batting average, fourth with six wins, 55 strikeouts and 70.1 innings pitched.

UW-Oshkosh had a pair of individuals join Jirschele as first team honorees. Ned Yost ranks second in the WIAC with a .774 slugging percentage and four triples, fourth with a .413 batting average and 60 runs scored, fifth with 26 walks, sixth with 11 home runs and a .500 on-base percentage and seventh with 64 hits and 15 doubles.

Ben Huffman claimed first team honors for the second straight year after receiving honorable mention status in 2003. This season, he places third in the conference with 62 strikeouts and seven wins, fifth with 65.1 innings pitched and sixth with a 4.55 earned run average and a .257 opponent batting average. Huffman compiled 25 victories during his career, which are fourth on the conference's all-time list.

UW-Stout's Seth Maier, Greg Meinertz and Tim Nielson all received first team status. Maier ranks fourth in the WIAC with 16 doubles, sixth with a .409 batting average, ninth with a .611 slugging percentage and 10th with a .476 on-base percentage. Maier also earned first team honors during the 2003 season.

Meinertz claimed first team status for the third straight year after leading the Blue Devils with three triples and placing second with six home runs and 28 RBIs. He was third on the squad with a .329 batting average, a .564 slugging percentage and nine doubles.

Nielson secured first team accolades for the second straight year. He ranks third in the league with 15 stolen bases, fourth with 12 home runs, ninth with 48 RBIs and 10th with a .610 slugging percentage.

UW-La Crosse's Andy Podmolik leads the conference with five triples, while ranking third with 15 stolen bases and eighth with a .400 batting average. He was a honorable mention choice a season ago.

UW-Platteville's Ryan Slaght places third in the WIAC with 77.0 innings pitched, six with five wins and ninth with a 5.38 earned run average and 38 strikeouts.

Named to the honorable mention team were: UW-La Crosse's Joe Bemis, Dan Graziano, Matt Zieba and Matt Zurbriggen, UW-Platteville's Matt Huckstep, David Reifenberger and E.J. Zbikowski, UW-Stevens Point's Kevin Pankow, Matt Polomis, Tim Schlosser and Jordan Zimmermann, UW-Superior's Andy Paul and Eric Pokornowski and UW-Whitewater's Jeff Newcomer and Nicholas Teach.

UW-Stevens Point head coach Pat Bloom was voted the Coach of the Year after leading the Pointers to a 19-5 conference mark and a 35-9 overall record. The Pointers' 35 wins this season are the most since the school record of 37 set in 2002. Bloom is in his second season with UW-Stevens Point and has accumulated a 60-25 record (.706 winning percentage).

2005 All-WIAC Baseball Team
First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Eddie Adamson, Whitewater, Junior, Outfield, Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton-Warrenville South)
Eric Baldwin, Whitewater, Senior, Outfield, Beaver Dam
Chuck Brehm, Stevens Point, Junior, Outfield, Spencer
Jake Frombach, Stevens Point, Junior, Shortstop, Stratford
Dan Gnatzig, Whitewater, Senior, Outfield, Whitewater
Aaron Guilbault, Whitewater, Senior, Catcher, Brodhead
Ben Huffman, Oshkosh, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Mequon (Homestead)
Jeremy Jirschele, Oshkosh, Senior, Secondbase, Clintonville
Ryan Jones, Stevens Point, Senior, Firstbase, Eau Claire (North)
Ross Klawitter, Whitewater, Senior, Shortstop, Janesville (Craig)
Seth Maier, Stout, Junior, Outfield, Park Falls
Greg Meinertz, Stout, Senior, Catcher, La Crosse (Central)
Tim Nielson, Stout, Junior, Shortstop, Rosemount, Minn.
Andy Podmolik, La Crosse, Sophomore, Outfield, Phillips
Greg Reinhard, Whitewater, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Marinette
J.C. Reinke, Stevens Point, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Bonduel
Ryan Slaght, Platteville, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Baraboo
Kevin Tomasiewicz, Whitewater, Senior, Lefthanded Pitcher, Sleepy Hollow, Ill. (Dundee-Crown)
Ned Yost, Oshkosh, Senior, Firstbase, Marietta, Ga. (Lassiter)
Steve Wiczek, Stevens Point, Senior, Designated Hitter, Stevens Point (SPASH)

Honorable Mention
Joe Bemis, La Crosse, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Stoughton
Dan Graziano, La Crosse, Senior, Catcher, Greenfield
Matt Huckstep, Platteville, Sophomore, Shortstop, Lafayette, Ind. (McCutcheon)
Jeff Newcomer, Whitewater, Senior, Shortstop, Monroe
Kevin Pankow, Stevens Point, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Oconomowoc
Andy Paul, Superior, Senior, Catcher, Grand Rapids, Minn.
Eric Pokornowski, Superior, Senior, Thirdbase, Cokato, Minn.
Matt Polomis, Stevens Point, Senior, Outfield, Wausaukee
David Reifenberger, Platteville, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, West Lafayette, Ind. (Harrison)
David Reifenberger, Platteville, Senior, Catcher/Designated Hitter, West Lafayette, Ind. (Harrison)
Tim Schlosser, Stevens Point, Freshman, Thirdbase, Oconomowoc
Nicholas Teach, Whitewater, Junior, Secondbase, New Berlin (Eisenhower)
Jordan Zimmermann, Stevens Point, Freshman, Righthanded Pitcher, Auburndale
E.J. Zbikowski, Platteville, Senior, Firstbase, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Buffalo Grove)
Matt Zieba, La Crosse, Senior, Outfield, Brooklyn Park, Minn.
Matt Zurbriggen, La Crosse, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Onalaska

Co-Position Players of the Year: Jeremy Jirschele of UW-Oshkosh and Steve Wiczek of UW-Stevens Point

Pitcher of the Year: Greg Reinhard of UW-Whitewater

Max Sparger Co-Scholar-Athletes: Eric Baldwin of UW-Whitewater and Chuck Brehm of UW-Stevens Point

Coach of the Year: Pat Bloom of UW-Stevens Point

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