May 20, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - In voting conducted among the league's head coaches, La Salle University Baseball second baseman John Rickards was named Atlantic 10 Conference First Team, while starting pitcher Kevin Fuqua earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
Rickards was the catalyst this season for the Explorers, as he led La Salle in 13 offensive categories (.348 BA, 44 R, 63 H, 13 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 112 TB, .619 SL%, .472 OB%, 24 BB, 21 HBP, 15 SB).
Those numbers also includes ranking in the top 30 nationally in triples and hit by pitches. He also became the first Explorer since 1999 to score at least 40 runs and drive in 40 more.
This season, the senior finished in top 10 in a single season at La Salle in runs (10th), 2Bs (T-10th), 3Bs (T-2nd), RBI (T-7th), and total bases (T-4th). He also finished his career in the top 10 at school in seven categories, including 1st in triples (17), becoming the first Explorer ever with three seasons with at least 5.
The other categories are at bats (7th, 632), hits (6th, 211), doubles (T-5th, 38), home runs (T-5th, 20), RBI (6th, 122), and total bases (5th, 355). He was also two runs scored and three stolen bases shy of reaching the top 10 in those categories.
In the last month of the season (10 games), Rickards batted .467, with a .900 slugging percentage and a .660 on-base percentage. In the last five A-10 series, in which La Salle won four and were 9-6, Rickards batted .417 with 15 RBI and 16 runs scored.
In just A-10 games, Rickards batted .398 (second in the conference) with a .516 on-base percentage (first) and a .653 slugging percentage (fifth).
Rickards becomes just the seventh Explorer to earn A-10 First Team honors, but is the first infielder selected. Three times La Salle has had a catcher make First Team, while the others were a pitcher, an outfielder, and a designated hitter.
Fuqua becomes the third straight Explorer pitcher to make the All-Rookie team, joining Drew Gerhart (2006) and TJ Chism (2007) as honorees at the position.
He had one of the best seasons ever for a freshman pitcher at La Salle, which started with his shutout performance in the Explorers first win of the year on March 7.
His five wins are ninth-best all-time for a single season, while his 14 starts rank him tied for third all-time. He threw six complete games - third all-time - while becoming the first Explorer pitcher to reach the century mark in innings pitcher with 101.1.
He also struck out 77 batters, which is tied for the third most in a season, while it is a freshman record. Joe Marykwas was a freshman in 1985, when he won eight games, threw seven complete games, pitched 99.1 innings, but struck out just 51.
Fuqua's numbers among other A-10 pitchers ranked him second in innings, fourth in strikeouts, second in batters struck out looking, tied for second in starts, tied for first in shutouts and complete games, 12th in ERA, and tied for 12th in saves.
To see the A-10 release with all the postseason teams, click here.
