Friday, June 2, 2006

OLATHE, Kan. -- University of Saint Francis junior outfielder Josh Widman has been named to the 2006 NAIA All-American Baseball Team becoming the second USF baseball player in the 43-year history of the program to earn All-American status.

Widman, who earlier this month became just the third USF baseball player named to the NAIA Region VIII All-Region team, was an All-American honorable mention outfielder. A Findlay High School graduate, Widman was a Mid-Central Conference first-team selection who 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 joins Aaron Elwer as Cougars who have been named NAIA All-American. Elwer was the first Cougar to earn that status as honorable mention in 2002. Widman is the third Cougar to be named to an NAIA All-Region Baseball team. Scherer was named All-Region VIII in 2000. Elwer was named All-Region VIII in 2002.

 -- GO USF --