Van Sickler Named All-America

APPLETON, Wisc. - Two members of the Shenandoah University baseball team were honored Thursday night by the American Baseball Coaches Association in awards announced in conjunction with the Division III Baseball Championship banquet held at the Paper Valley Radisson.

Sophomore Greg Van Sickler was named as a third team All-America while head coach Kevin Anderson earned South Region Coach of the Year honors.

Van Sickler, a pitcher/first baseman, earned his third team honors as a utility player following being named first team ABCA South Region earlier in the week.

Anderson becomes the first SU baseball coach to earn Regional Coach of the Year honors after leading his club to a school-record 37 victories and its first-ever South Region championship.

Van Sickler has led the Hornets into the 2009 NCAA Championships with a .393 batting average, 60 runs batted in and eight wins on the mound as the team's top starter and No. 4 hitter.

This season he has been named to the USA South and Salisbury Regional All-Tournament teams in addition to be named honorable mention All-USA South at first base and as the Shenandoah University male Athlete of the Year.

Van Sickler was the 2008 USA South Conference Rookie of the Year at utility and was named as either the USA South Rookie Player or Rookie Pitcher of the Week in every week except one last season.

Van Sickler is expected to be the Hornets starter Friday afternoon against Farmingdale (N.Y.) State in the opening round of the 2009 Division III Championships. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 EDT.