May 19, 2009

DAYTON, Ohio - Freshman 2B Adam McConnell was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, while senior closer Brian Alas earned a spot on the All-Academic Team as the league announced is 2009 Baseball All-Conference selections Tuesday afternoon.

McConnell, who led the team in hitting with his .355 average, becomes the fifth Spider in four seasons to earn a spot on the All-Rookie Team. The infielder from Yorktown, Va. swiped a team-leading 31 bases, which was the most among all NCAA rookies and ranks as tied for the third-most in a single-season in Richmond history. McConnell finished second in the A-10 in steals (31), 11th in hits (70) and 14th in runs (48).

The freshman hit .479 (23-of-48) with runners in scoring position and was a .625 (5-of-8) hitter with bases loaded. Hitting safely in a team-high 14-consecutive games midseason, McConnell was held hitless in a game just six times all season.

Current sophomores 1B Mike Mergenthaler and DH Billy Barber were All-Rookie selections in 2008, with junior LHP Matt Zielinski earning a spot in 2007 and redshirt junior 3B Cameron Brown on the team in 2006, which was the first season the A-10 began naming an All-Rookie squad.

Alas, a fifth-year senior from Port Washington, N.Y., graduates as the Spiders' all-time leader in both saves (26) and appearances (108). He put the finishing touches on his record-breaking career by collecting eight saves this season, to go along with his 2-1 record and team-leading 4.41 ERA.

After taking a medical redshirt last season, Alas returned in 2009 and posted a 3.83 GPA as a graduate student in the nationally-renowned Robins School of Business. The closer is the Spiders' third All-Academic selection in baseball, joining Jim Fasano (2004) and Vito Chiaravalloti (2003).

Rhode Island senior SS Dan Rhault was tabbed the A-10 Player of the Year, with George Washington senior P Pat Lehman earning the Pitcher of the Year nod. From the regular-season champion Dayton, freshman P Cameron Hobson was the Rookie of the Year and Tony Vittorio was Coach of the Year. Saint Louis SS Ryan Bennett was honored as the Student-Athlete of the Year.

The All-Conference Teams were chosen in a vote by the league's head coaches, while the Academic All-Conference Team was voted on by the league's baseball SIDs.

The 2009 Atlantic 10 Championship begins Wednesday ay Fifth-Third Field in Dayton, Ohio, with top-seeded Dayton and second-place Rhode Island earning first-round byes. Xavier, Charlotte, Massachusetts and Fordham are set to play Wednesday in the Opening Round.

Richmond finished the 2009 season 22-25 overall, 11-16 in A-10 play. The overall record represents a two-win and six-loss improvement from the 2008 campaign. The youthful Spiders, who saw nine freshmen or sophomores make significant contributions in the starting lineup, are set to return all but its five graduating seniors - Alas, Josh Horn, Kyle Leith and Stephen Owens - for 2010.