TicketsSept. 19, 2011
CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati baseball head coach Brian Cleary announced the addition of 13 student-athletes to the 2011-12 roster on Monday.
"(UC assistant coaches) J.D. Heilmann and Greg Mamula did another outstanding job of identifying the nation's top players who fit our program and educating them on all of the great things happening here at UC - the result is a strong class which I am thrilled to welcome to campus," said Cleary.
The new recruiting class features 12 incoming freshmen and one community college transfer.
Six of the 13 recruits are from Ohio, including four from the greater Cincinnati area: RHP Ryan Atkinson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain), RHP Evan Hills (Liberty Township/Lakota East), RHP Christian McElroy (Middletown, Ohio/Monroe/Sinclair CC) and Frank Sullivan (Milford, Ohio /Milford).
Three recruits hale from Pennsylvania, while the other four incoming student-athletes are natives of Arizona California, Indiana and Maryland, respectively.
"We've attracted elite players not only from here in Cincinnati and from our home state of Ohio, but the class includes players from six states, which speaks to how attractive BIG EAST baseball and, specifically, UC Baseball has become to the elite players here in Ohio and from around the country," said Cleary.
Three of the incoming freshmen won state championships during their prep careers: Hills (2011 Ohio Division I), Joey Bielek (2011 Arizona 5-A II) and Matthew Lathuras (2008 California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division II).
Out of the 13 recruits, 10 are pitchers, including nine right-handed hurlers. One of the right-handers is a familiar face to the UC baseball program.
McElroy, who redshirted in 2010 after appearing in one game for UC and pitched at Sinclair Community College last season, will be classified as a medical redshirt sophomore for the Bearcats in 2011-12.
Cincinnati's incoming class originally included first baseman Jackson Laumann from Boone County (Ky.) High School; however, Laumann opted to sign with the Atlanta Braves, who selected him in the 31st round (No. 956 overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
The UC baseball team reported to campus on Tuesday and will hold its first full-squad practice of the autumn quarter on Oct. 8.
2011-12 University of Cincinnati Baseball Recruiting Class
NO. NAME POS. HT. WT. B/T CL. EXP. Hometown/High School/Last College
3 Taylor Schmidt OF 5-10 184 L/R Fr. HS Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills
8 David McInerney C 5-10 202 R/R Fr. HS Willow Grove, Pa./Upper Moreland
9 Joey Bielek INF 6-1 187 R/R Fr. HS Scottsdale, Ariz./Chapparal
14 Connor Walsh RHP 6-2 167 L/R Fr. HS Wayne, Pa./Radnor
15 Evan Hills RHP 6-2 170 R/R Fr. HS Liberty Township, Ohio/Lakota East
27 Bryan Chenoweth RHP 6-1 165 R/R Fr. HS Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon
33 Art Warren RHP 6-3 203 R/R Fr. HS Stryker, Ohio/Napoleon
34 Ryan Atkinson RHP 6-3 197 R/R Fr. HS Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain
39 Matthew Lathuras RHP 6-1 183 R/R Fr. HS Sherman Oaks, Calif./Notre Dame
42 Zach Morris LHP 6-6 225 L/L Fr. HS Edgewater, Md./DeMatha Catholic
46 Grant Walker RHP 6-3 173 R/R Fr. HS Brookeville, Ohio/Northmont
47 Frank Sullivan RHP 6-2 219 R/R Fr. HS Milford, Ohio/Milford
49 Christian McElroy RHP 6-4 211 R/R R-So. CC Middletown, Ohio/Monroe/Sinclair CC