EAST STROUDSBURG – Highlighted by East Stroudsburg University baseball redshirt senior Brent Francisco and head coach John Kochmansky garnering major awards, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced its all-conference teams on Tuesday afternoon.
Brent Francisco was selected as the PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, marking the second straight year a Warrior received the award, and named to the All-PSAC East First Team. 17th-year head coach John Kochmansky was tabbed the PSAC East Coach of the Year for the second time in his career and first since 2010.
Junior Jack Rothenhausler (3B), sophomore Shanley Wall (OF) and Caden Parker (RP) joined Francisco on the All-PSAC East Team while sophomore Ryan Dewees (SP) and redshirt junior Cameron Hubbard (DH) were selected to the All-PSAC East Second Team.
Gallery: (5-7-2024) ESU Baseball All-PSAC East
Francisco saved his best for last as the redshirt senior closed the regular season with an impressive 10-1 record, 2.21 ERA, .71 WHIP and 71 strikeouts over 73.1 innings pitched to earn PSAC East Pitcher of the Year and All-PSAC East First Teams honors. Francisco becomes the 16th player in school history to be a two-time first team all-conference selection as he earned the recognition in 2022. A two-time PSAC East Athlete of the Week this year, Francisco fired five complete games and three shutouts, twirled 26.0 consecutive scoreless innings from March 29 to April 20 and set career school records for strikeouts (313), innings pitched (276.1) and victories (28).
Among all pitchers in NCAA Division II, Francisco leads the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.14) and WHIP while ranking fourth in complete games, fourth in walks allowed per nine innings (0.86), fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.52), fifth in victories, eighth in ERA and 70th in strikeouts.
Francisco becomes the sixth Warrior in program history to be named PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, joining Chase Nowak (2023), Matt Festa (2016), Jeremy Gigliotti (2011), Christian Saveri (2010) and Mike Balent (1985). It marked the second time in program history that ESU won consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards.
Kochmansky guided the Warriors to the first PSAC East regular season title in program history as ESU enters the postseason with a record of 38-10. ESU has been nationally ranked by the NCBWA and various polls for a majority of the season as the Warriors won a program-record 25 straight games from February 18 to April 9. He earns the second PSAC East Coach of the Year award in his career; first since 2010, and fourth overall in school history as Glen Hayes (1985) and Vern Walsh (1971) were previously honored. Kochmansky and the Warriors are approaching the single season win record of 41 (41-20) set in 2022 and are inline to return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third straight year.
Rothenhausler, who was named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year in 2022, garnered All-PSAC East First Team honors for the first time in his career at the hot corner following another stellar campaign. The junior batted .362 (55-for-152), which included 15 doubles and three home runs, with a .460 on-base and .520 slugging percentage. He totaled career-highs with 44 RBI and 44 runs scored, has a team-high 12 multi RBI games and recorded a 14-game hit streak from March 15 to April 5. Honored as the PSAC East Co-Athlete of the Week on April 1, the Bethlehem native is second in doubles among the conference.
Starting all 48 games this season, Wall is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign as he earned All-PSAC East First Team honors after posting team-highs of .391 batting average, .461 on-base and .547 slugging percentage. The Souderton native tallied 63 hits, including a PSAC-leading 16 doubles and three home runs, 31 RBI, 41 runs and 10 stolen bases. He leads the Warriors with 16 multi hit performances which included going 4-for-5 at Pace (3/19) and against Shippensburg (4/6). Honored as the PSAC East Athlete of the Week on March 11, Wall currently ranks fourth in the conference in batting average.
Parker was tabbed to the All-PSAC East First Team as a relief pitcher in his first season at ESU after spending his last two years at Maryland Eastern Shore. In 16 appearances out of the bullpen, Parker recorded nine saves, which tied an ESU single-season record, ranks second in the PSAC and 10th in NCAA Division II, to go along with a 2.79 ERA and 20 strikeouts across 19.1 innings pitched. The Delmar, Del. native tossed 8.0 consecutive scoreless innings from March 16 through April 21 and punched out a season-high four against Shippensburg (4/5).
Dewees landed on the All-PSAC East Second Team as a starting pitcher following a breakout sophomore campaign for the Warriors. He closed the regular season a perfect 7-0 in 11 starts while pitching to a 3.16 ERA and .99 WHIP across 51.1 innings to go along with 39 strikeouts. Tabbed as the PSAC East Pitcher of the Week for the first time in his career back on March 11, Dewees fired 13 consecutive scoreless innings which included tossing a three-hit shutout against West Chester on April 26. Among PSAC rankings, the Lincoln University, Pa. native is fifth in wins, sixth in WHIP, ninth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.19), 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.90) and 11th in ERA.
Hubbard was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team as a designated hitter after landing on the First Team a season ago. The Easton native closed the year batting .333 (40-for-122) with a .415 on-base and .422 slugging percentage after totaling 40 hits, 10 extra-base hits, which included six doubles, two triples and two home runs, and 20 RBI. Hubbard is 17-for-19 on stolen base attempts and recorded nine multi hit games this season which included going 3-for-4 at Barton (2/10) and 3-for-3 with two RBI versus Lock Haven (3/10).
ESU PSAC East Pitcher of the Year
ESU PSAC East Coach of the Year
PSAC Eastern Division Major Awards
Athlete of the Year – Anthony Boccio, West Chester
Pitcher of the Year – Brent Francisco, East Stroudsburg
Freshman of the Year – Zachary McEllroy, Lock Haven
Coach of the Year – John Kochmansky, East Stroudsburg
PSAC Eastern Division First Team
| POS. |
NAME |
INSTITUTION |
CLASS |
| Catcher |
John DeMucci* |
West Chester |
Sr. |
| First Base |
Austin Baal |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
| Second Base |
Mark McNelly |
Millersville |
Gr. |
| Shortstop |
Sean Szestowicki |
West Chester |
R-Sr. |
| Third Base |
Jack Rothenhausler |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
| Infielder |
Avery Spencer |
West Chester |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Anthony Boccio |
West Chester |
Gr. |
| Outfielder |
Jeff Sabater |
Millersville |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Shanley Wall |
East Stroudsburg |
So. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Brent Francisco* |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Carson Kulina* |
Millersville |
Gr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Alex Mykut |
Millersville |
Gr. |
| Relief Pitcher |
Caden Parker |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
| Utility |
Keegan Soltis |
Millersville |
R-Jr. |
| Designated Hitter |
Cole Houser |
Millersville |
Sr. |
PSAC Eastern Division Second Team
| POS. |
NAME |
INSTITUTION |
CLASS |
| Catcher |
Cole Serfass |
Mansfield |
Fr. |
| First Base |
- |
- |
- |
| Second Base |
Zach Miles |
West Chester |
R-Sr. |
| Shortstop |
Carter Hinds |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
| Third Base |
Jimmy Kerley |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Jacob Houtz |
Mansfield |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Zachary McEllroy |
Lock Haven |
Fr. |
| Outfielder |
Sam Morris |
Millersville |
Jr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Julian Costa |
West Chester |
R-So. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Jaxon Dalena |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Ryan Dewees |
East Stroudsburg |
So. |
| Relief Pitcher |
Ethan Miller |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
| Utility |
Drew Simpson |
West Chester |
Fr. |
| Designated Hitter |
Cameron Hubbard* |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Jr. |
PSAC Western Division Major Awards
Athlete of the Year – Payton Conte, California
Pitcher of the Year – Gabe Gillott, Slippery Rock
Freshman of the Year – Owen Mandler, Seton Hill
Coach of the Year – Marc Marizzaldi, Seton Hill
PSAC Western Division First Team
| POS. |
NAME |
INSTITUTION |
CLASS |
| Catcher |
John Susnik |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
| First Base |
Joey Purcell |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
| Second Base |
Koby Bubash |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
| Shortstop |
Josh Ulery |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
| Third Base |
Jack Oberdorf^* |
Seton Hill |
Gr. |
| Infielder |
Scotty McManamon** |
Clarion |
Sr. |
| Outfielder |
Ryan Callahan^ |
California |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Chris Juchno |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
| Outfielder |
Max Mandler |
Seton Hill |
Jr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Gage Gillott |
Slippery Rock |
R-So. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Aidan Layton |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Rodney Shultz |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
| Relief Pitcher |
Jake Kramer^ |
California |
So. |
| Utility |
Griffin Snyder |
Clarion |
R-Jr. |
| Designated Hitter |
Payton Conte |
California |
Jr. |
PSAC Western Division Second Team
| POS. |
NAME |
INSTITUTION |
CLASS |
| Catcher |
Robby Barrientos |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
| First Base |
Devon Boyles |
Pitt-Johnstown |
So. |
| Second Base |
Harrison Pontoli^* |
IUP |
Fifth Year |
| Shortstop |
- |
- |
- |
| Third Base |
Zach Kourous^ |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
| Outfielder |
Ricardo Aponte |
IUP |
So. |
| Outfielder |
Gage Gillott |
Slippery Rock |
R-So. |
| Outfielder |
Justin Turcovski |
Pitt-Johnstown |
R-So. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Brandon Bergert* |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Corbin Foy |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
| Starting Pitcher |
Ryan Rafalski |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
| Relief Pitcher |
Jacob Bazala |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
| Utility |
- |
- |
- |
| Designated Hitter |
Mitch Grosch |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
*Indicates previous first-team selection
^Indicates previous second-team selection
