ESU Postseason Awards History (PDF)  l  NCAA DII Atlantic Regional preview

EAST STROUDSBURG - Redshirt junior outfielder Robert Bennie was named the NCBWA Division II All-Atlantic Region Co-Player of the Year, leading five East Stroudsburg University selections on the organization's All-Region team released Wednesday.

ESU had three selections on the first team in redshirt senior pitcher Matt Festa, redshirt junior second baseman Jay Young and Bennie. Two Warriors were named to the second team in redshirt junior shortstop Conner Crookham and junior utility (OF/LHP) Ian Allen.

The Warriors (36-16) were selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Tournament and will face No. 3 seed Mercyhurst in the first round of the Atlantic Regional on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Owls Field in West Lawn, Pa.

The five All-Region selections on the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) team are the most in school history. ESU previously had three selections on the 2014 Daktronics and ABCA All-Region teams and three on the 2013 Daktronics, ABCA and NCBWA All-Region squads.

Bennie (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) enters the NCAA Tournament hitting .413 with a .477 on-base percentage, .670 slugging percentage, 85 hits, 19 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 53 RBI, 63 runs, 21 walks, six HBP and is 19-for-22 on stolen bases as the Warriors' leadoff hitter.

He was previously named PSAC East Athlete of the Year on May 5, and was named a national semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award (DII Player of the Year) last week.

Festa (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph By The Sea), the PSAC East Co-Pitcher of the Year, enters the NCAA Tournament with an 11-1 record in 12 starts, eight complete games, two shutouts, a 2.14 ERA, 95 strikeouts, 21 walks and 60 hits allowed (.203 avg) across 80.0 innings pitched.

Festa was named a national semifinalist for the Brett Tomko Award (DII Pitcher of the Year) last week.

Young (Pen Argyl, Pa./Pen Argyl) is hitting .403/.455/.448 with 62 hits, seven doubles, 41 RBI, 37 runs, 13 walks, six HBP and is 8-for-8 on stolen base attempts in 50 games (46 starts). He was a preseason All-Region second team selection.

Crookham (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) enters the NCAA Tournament hitting .357/.451/.664 with 51 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 48 RBI, 43 runs, 25 walks, three HBP and is 4-for-5 on stolen bases in 46 games (44 starts).

Allen (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora) has started all 52 games between the outfield and pitcher. At the plate, he is hitting .311 with a .448 on-base percentage and .450 slugging percentage, 56 hits, nine doubles, five triples, two home runs, 29 RBI, 51 runs, 42 walks, five HBP and is 35-for-39 on stolen bases.

On the mound, Allen is 2-0 with five starts, posting a 5.47 ERA, 32 strikeouts, four walks and 34 hits allowed in 26.1 innings. He was named to the NCBWA preseason All-America third team at the utility position entering the year.

All five of ESU's All-Region selections were named to the All-PSAC East first team, along with redshirt junior 3B Drew Hercik and sophomore DH Christian Rishel. Sophomore catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. was named to the All-PSAC East second team.

ESU has set a school record for wins (36), qualified for the NCAA DII Tournament for the third time in six seasons (2011, 2013, 2016) and reached the PSAC Tournament for the fifth time in six seasons (2010-11, 13, 15-16).

The D2CCA All-Region team (selected by the region's sports information directors) will be released on Thursday, and the ABCA team (selected by the region's coaches) will be announced later this month.


NCBWA Division II All-Atlantic Region Team

Co-Player of the Year - Robert Bennie, East Stroudsburg
Co-Player of the Year - Tre Porter, Shepherd

Co-Pitcher of the Year - Colin McKee, Mercyhurst
Co-Pitcher of the Year - Brandon Miller, Millersville

Coach of the Year - Jon Shehan, Millersville

1st Team
SP - Matt Festa, Sr., East Stroudsburg
SP - Colin McKee, Jr., Mercyhurst (2)
SP - Brandon Miller, Jr., Millersville (2)
RP - Curtis Johnson, Sr., WV State

C - Mitch Stoltzfus, Jr., Millersville
1B - Zac Heide, Sr., Seton Hill
2B - Jay Young, Jr., East Stroudsburg
3B - Jared Wiesen, Sr., Gannon
SS - Tre Porter, Sr., Shepherd
OF - Robert Bennie, Jr., East Stroudsburg
OF - Mick Fennell, Sr., California (Pa.) (2)
OF - J.J. Sarty, So., Shepherd (2)
DH - Tyler Walters, So., Slippery Rock
UTIL - Zach Cooper, Jr., Chowan


2nd Team
SP - Sam Crater, Sr., Shepherd (1)
SP - Perry DellaValle, So., Seton Hill
SP - Jim McDade, Sr., Millersville
SP - Cody Smith, So., Chowan
RP - Jordan Cummings, Sr., Winston-Salem
RP - Mike O'Neill, Sr., West Chester

C - Nate Cardy, Fr., Gannon
1B - Dan Stoltzfus, Sr., Millersville (2)
2B - Jake Stern, Sr., Pitt-Johnstown
3B - Austin Alonge, Sr., Mercyhurst
SS - Conner Crookham, Jr., East Stroudsburg
SS - Tyler Orris, Sr., Millersville
OF - Austin Edgette, So., Bloomsburg
OF - Matt Malacane, Sr., Seton Hill
OF - Chas McCormick, Jr., Millersville (2)
OF - Jeremy Musser, Jr., Millersville
DH - Chris Miller, Sr., Seton Hill (1 - Catcher)
UTIL - Ian Allen, Jr., East Stroudsburg
UTIL - Ty Lighton, Sr., UVa.-Wise

( ) indicates 2015 NCBWA Atlantic All-Region selection