ESU Postseason Awards History (PDF)

Related: Festa named NCBWA DII All-America 3rd team (Wednesday afternoon)

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University redshirt junior outfielder Robert Bennie has been named the ABCA Division II Atlantic Region Player of the Year and is joined by redshirt senior pitcher Matt Festa on the first team, it was announced this week.

Redshirt junior shortstop Conner Crookham and redshirt senior third baseman Drew Hercik both landed spots on the second team, giving ESU four ABCA All-Region selections this spring - the most in program history.

Bennie and Festa both completed a sweep of first team honors on all three All-Region teams as selected by the ABCA (coaches), D2CCA (sports information directors) and NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association).

Bennie was previously named the Atlantic Region Co-Player of the Year by the NCBWA.

He joins outfielder Chris Knott, who was named Atlantic Region Player of the Year on the ABCA and D2CCA teams in 2014, and Joel Bennett, a pitcher/shortstop who was named ECAC South Co-Player of the Year in 1991, as the only Warriors named region "Player of the Year" in program history. Jeremy Gigliotti was a consensus selection as "Pitcher of the Year" in 2011.

Crookham was previously mentioned this spring on the NCBWA All-Region second team, and Hercik was on the D2CCA All-Region first team.

A total of six Warriors have been named All-Region between the three teams in 2016.

ESU (38-18) set a program record for wins and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third time in six seasons.

Bennie (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) was named PSAC East Athlete of the Year in his first season with the Warriors after transferring from Division I Virginia. He hit .397 with a .461 on-base percentage and .643 slugging percentage this spring, collecting 89 hits (21 doubles, 2 triples, 10 home runs), 54 RBI, 67 runs, 22 walks, 6 HBP and was 23-for-26 on stolen bases.

Bennie set ESU single-season records for hits (89), runs (67) and total bases (144), tied the record for doubles (21), ranks tied for third in extra-base hits (33) and home runs (10), tied for sixth in RBI (54) and tied for fifth in stolen bases (23) in the Warriors' record book.

Festa (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph's by the Sea) was named PSAC East Co-Pitcher of the Year and put together a record-setting season on the mound, establishing five ESU single-season records for wins (11), strikeouts (105), innings (88.0), games started (13) and complete games (9).

He posted an 11-2 record with a 2.35 ERA, 105 strikeouts, 21 walks, 72 hits allowed and a .218 opponents batting average. He completed each of his final nine starts and threw two shutouts.

He was named one of 10 national finalists for the Brett Tomko Award, recognizing the top pitcher in DII baseball, on Tuesday.

Festa, a three-year starter after transferring from Dominican (N.Y.), set ESU career records for wins (23) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.1). He ranks second at ESU in career winning percentage (.767 - 23-7), tied for second in strikeouts (215), fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.1), sixth in innings (212.0), seventh in starts (33) and tied for 10th in complete games (13). He posted a career ERA of 3.52 and an opponents batting average of .254.

Crookham (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) was named first team All-PSAC East at shortstop, batting .357/.448/.669 with 56 hits (15 doubles, 2 triples, 10 home runs), 54 RBI, 46 runs, 26 walks, 4 HBP and was 5-for-6 on stolen bases. His .669 slugging percentage is eighth-highest in a season in program history.

He was named to the NCAA Tournament All-Atlantic Regional team last weekend, helping the Warriors to a 2-2 record. In two seasons at ESU after transferring from Old Dominion, he is hitting .384/.457/.700 with 40 extra-base hits (16 home runs), 77 RBI and 72 runs in 74 career games.

Hercik (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) was named first team All-PSAC East at third base, hitting .367/.517/.605 with 65 hits (19 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs), 45 RBI, 61 runs, 51 walks, 7 HBP and was 13-for-15 on stolen bases. He reached base 123 times this season, the most in program history.

He set ESU's single-season record for walks (51), second-most in PSAC history, and set ESU career records for walks (105), runs (163) and games played (203).

Hercik ranks in ESU's career top 10 in 10 categories. Along with his three career records listed above, he is tied for fourth at ESU in career hits (204), fifth in doubles (43), tied for fourth in home runs (16), tied for third in extra-base hits (63), second in total bases (303), second in RBI (127) and fourth in assists (385).


ESU All-Region selections (2016)

ABCA 1st team - Robert Bennie (OF - Player of the Year), Matt Festa (SP)
ABCA 2nd team - Conner Crookham (SS), Drew Hercik (3B)

D2CCA 1st team - Robert Bennie (OF), Jay Young (2B), Drew Hercik (3B), Matt Festa (SP)

NCBWA 1st team - Robert Bennie (OF - Co-Player of the Year), Jay Young (2B), Matt Festa (SP)
NCBWA 2nd team - Conner Crookham (SS), Ian Allen (UTIL)


ABCA DII Atlantic Region

Player of the Year - Robert Bennie, East Stroudsburg
Pitcher of the Year - Colin McKee, Mercyhurst

1st team
P - Perry DellaValle, So., Seton Hill
P - Matt Festa, Sr. East Stroudsburg
P - Colin McKee, Jr., Mercyhurst
P - Brandon Miller, Jr., Millersville
RP - Mike O'Neill, Sr., West Chester
C - Mitch Stoltzfus, Jr., Millersville
1B - Zac Heide, Sr., Seton Hill
2B - Jake Stern, Sr., Pitt-Johnstown
3B - Jared Wiesen, Sr., Gannon
SS - Tre Porter, Sr., Shepherd
INF - Hank Morrison, Sr., Mercyhurst
OF - Robert Bennie, Jr., East Stroudsburg
OF - Mick Fennell, Sr., California
OF - Chas McCormick, Jr., Millersville
OF - J.J. Sarty, Jr., Shepherd
DH - Tyler Walters, So., Slippery Rock

2nd team
P - Sam Crater, Sr., Shepherd
P - Andrew Gernert, Jr., West Chester
P - Cam Knott, Sr., Mercyhurst
P - Jim McDade, Sr., Millersville
RP - Nico DiPaola, Jr., Gannon
C - Nate Cardy, Fr., Gannon
1B - Dan Stoltzfus, Sr., Millersville
2B - Mark DeVita, Sr., Gannon
3B - Drew Hercik, Sr., East Stroudsburg
SS - Conner Crookham, Jr., East Stroudsburg
INF - Tyler Orris, Sr., Millersville
OF - Drew Diehl, Sr., West Chester
OF - Austin Edgette, So., Bloomsburg
OF - Matt Malacane, Sr., Seton Hill
OF - Jeremy Musser, Jr., Millersville
DH - Chris Miller, Sr., Seton Hill