Saturday, May 20, 2006

University of Saint Francis junior outfielder Josh Widman has been named to NAIA Region VIII 2006 baseball team becoming just the second Cougar to earn the post-season honor.

Widman was a first-team selection for the 2006 Mid-Central Conference all-conference team. A Findlay High School graduate, Widman led USF in batting with a .379 average and set a school record for single-season RBI with 48. Widman broke the previous record of 41 RBI set by Cody Scherer in 2000.

Widman led the Cougars in eight different hitting categories including – RBI (48), hits (67), batting average (.379), doubles (16), triples (2), home runs (4), slugging percentage ( .559) and total bases (99). He tied for the teams’ longest hitting streak this season with nine. He led USF in multiple-hit games (19), 2-hit games (12), 3-hit games (6), multiple RBI games (11), 2-RBI games (5) and 3-RBI games (6).

The 5-foot-10 right fielder posted a .976 fielding percentage and was NAIA Region VIII and MCC Player of the Week (April 10-15). He tied for No. 1 in the MCC in RBI with 48, tied for No. 1 in doubles with 16, led the league in plate appearances (204) finished No. 2 in the MCC with 68 hits, No. 10 in MCC batting average, No. 7 in MCC slugging percentage and home runs.

Widman becomes the third Cougar to be named to an NAIA All-Region Baseball team. Scherer was named All-Region VIII in 2000. Aaron Elwer was named to All-Region VIII in 2002.

 2006 NAIA All-Region Baseball

Ricky Pease           Taylor University      Jr.      1B
Trent Mast            Taylor University      Sr.     2B
Ben Ramsey           Madonna University  Sr.     3B
Matt Soergel          Aquinas College       Sr.     SS
Andy Janzen          Huntingtion Univ.     Jr.      IF
Steve Hardin          Concordia University Sr.     OF
Derek Malikian        Marain College         So.     OF
Tony Aldridge        Indiana Tech           Jr.      OF
Josh Widman         St. Francis               Jr.      OF
Tad Litwiller           Taylor University      Jr.      C
Matt Spitzley          Aquinas College       Sr.     C
Jesse Bachman       Spring Arbor Univ.    Fr.      P
Josh Judy              Indiana Tech           So.     P
Will Kennedy          Madonna University  So.     P
Derek Dufrane       Madonna University  Sr.     P
Adam Gearhart       Indiana Wesleyan     Sr.     RP
Dave Herrick          Madonna University So.     DH

2006 Player of the Year: Ben Ramsey, Madonna 

 -- GO USF --