TicketsJan. 21, 2009
LAFAYETTE, La. - Coming off a season in which he tied for the BIG EAST Conference lead in home runs (21) and led the conference in RBI (79), senior Mike Spina (Newberry, Fla./Newberry) earned preseason second-team all-America honors by RecruitingCloser.com, the website announced on Wednesday, January 21.
Spina, who was named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List in December, posted a .377 batting average last season and added 12 doubles to accompany his home run and RBI numbers. Spina also led the conference with a .731 slugging percentage and ranked in the Top 12 of the league in nine statistical categories.
The Newberry, Fla., native was drafted in the 35th round by the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, but elected to return to UC for his senior season.
Spina and the Bearcats kick off their season on Feb. 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla., against Purdue in the inaugural BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge. During the opening weekend, UC also takes on perennial Big Ten powers Michigan and Ohio State.