Atlantic 10 Baseball All-Conference Teams

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle junior Pat Christensen and senior Brendan Norton were named to the Academic All-Atlantic 10 team, while freshman Mike McLeod was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team as the league announced its annual awards on Tuesday.
 
Christensen earned Academic All-Atlantic 10 recognition for the second straight season. The closer broke the school and A-10 record for saves in a career earlier this spring and now has 33 saves. In 2012, Christensen was 4-3 with nine saves and a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 54 batters in 44 innings and walked just eight.
 
The right-hander has also earned Big 5 Co-Student Athlete of the Year and Academic All-Big 5 honors during his career. In April, he was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District First Team and moved on to receive Academic All-America consideration, to be announced later this month. A business administration major, Christensen owns a 3.60 grade point average.
 
Norton receives Academic All-Atlantic 10 honors for the third straight season. He led the league in walks, setting a new school record in the process with 55 free passes. The senior is second nationally in walks per game (1.10).
 
The outfielder led the team in runs scored (34) and was second with three home runs. His 10 career triples rank seventh all-time. Norton has also been a CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District and Big 5 Student-Athlete of the Year. An accounting major, Norton has a 3.68 GPA.
 
McLeod was a valuable addition out of the bullpen, going 3-1 with one save and a 4.17 ERA. He appeared in 25 games, the most on the team, and ninth in school history. The righthander struck out 27 batters in 36.2 innings.
 
Rhode Island sophomore outfielder Jeff Roy was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Player of the Year, in voting conducted among the league's head coaches. Massachusetts senior right-hander Joe Popielarczyk was honored as the Conference's Pitcher of the Year, while Richmond pitcher Zak Sterling was tabbed Rookie of the Year. In the same vote, Darin Hendrickson of Saint Louis was selected as the league's Coach of the Year.
 
Roy and Popielarczyk are joined on the All-Conference first team by Charlotte's Shane Brown (OF); Dayton's Brian Blasik (SS) and Bobby Glover (OF); Rhode Island's Pat Fortunato (2B); Richmond's Chris Cowell (C) and Jacob Mayers (DH); Kevin Taylor (1B) and Kyle Mullen (SP) of Saint Joseph's; Travis Parker (RP) of Saint Louis; and Temple's Steve Nikorak (3B).
 
The All-Conference second team consists of Charlotte's Shane Basen (3B); Dayton's C.J. Gillman (OF), Zach Stewart (OF) and Tim Bury (SP); Fordham's Ryan Maghini (SS); Rhode Island's Milan Adams (C), Jeff Cammans (1B) and Pat Quinn (DH); Richmond's Adam Forrer (2B); Alex Alemann (SP) and Alex Kelly (OF) of Saint Louis; and Xavier's Seth Willoughby (RP).
 
Sterling is joined on the All-Rookie team by Charlotte's LeLand Clemmons; Dayton's A.J. Ryan; Fordham's Matthew Cianci; La Salle's Mike McLeod; Conor LeBlanc of Massachusetts; Rhode Island's Tim Caputo; Ryan Pater of Saint Joseph's; James Norwood and Alex Sole of Saint Louis; Temple's Patrick Peterson; Xavier's Alex Westrick.
 
The Academic All-Conference, comprised of 12 student-athletes with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale), consists of Charlotte's Shane Basen and Corbin Shive; Dayton's C.J. Gillman, Bryce Lahrman and Robby Sunderman; Rhode Island's Dan Haverstick; George Washington's Kenny O'Brien; La Salle's Pat Christensen and Brendan Norton; Joe Popielarczyk of Massachusetts; St. Bonaventure's Billy Urban; and Xavier's Seth Willoughby.