March 3, 2008

Somerset, NJ - After claiming a victory during their season-opening road trip at Florida International the Wagner Seahawks were rewarded with the Northeast Conference (NEC) Player and Rookie of the Week Awards. Sophomore Kevin McDonnell (Bristol, CT / Avon Old Farms) claimed POTW accolades while freshman Jack Rice (Middlesex, NJ / Immaculata) garnered the ROTW citation.

McDonnell had at least one hit in every game on the weekend and batted a blistering .400 (6-15) with two home runs, two doubles, six RBI, four runs scored and a mammoth .933 slugging percentage. The right-handed hitting right fielder delivered his biggest blow of the weekend in the ninth inning of the Seahawks' 13-11 comeback victory over the Golden Panthers. McDonnell crushed a three-run homer to spark a seven-run frame that completed the Seahawks' rally from nine down. In the series finale, he matched last year's home run total with his second shot in as many games going 3-4 with a home run, double and two RBI.

It is his first career NEC POTW award and the first garnered by a Wagner student-athlete since Troy Sogluizzo did so in the final week of the 2004 season.

Rice set the stage for Wagner's amazing 13-11 come-from-behind win at Florida International on Saturday night by twirling 6.2 scoreless innings in relief. After taking the ball in the bottom of the third with his team trailing, the rookie southpaw stopped the bleeding and kept the Seahawks within striking distance. Rice baffled FIU's lineup to the tune of two hits and five strikeouts while walking only one. The New Jersey product also turned in four 1-2-3 innings and was credited with his first collegiate win.

The Wagner Seahawks head to Philadelphia this weekend (March 7-9) for games against Temple, Villanova and La Salle. First pitch with the Owls on Friday is slated for 2:30 pm.