The Eagles enter
their 20th season of intercollegiate baseball with high hopes of
continuing the winning tradition. Last season Eagle head coach
Ryan Howard led his team to a regional championship game. Since
Coach Howard took over the Eagle program, Eagle teams have won 2
conference championships, participated in 3 regional tournaments,
and capped off last year with a regional championship appearance.
Six out of Seven seasons that Coach Howard has been at the helm,
the Eagles have been nationally ranked in the NAIA top 25. Coach
Howard also stresses his teams to succeed academically. The Eagles
Baseball Team has received Avila 's Fred Geer Academic Cup as the
male athletic team with the top grade point average.
The team has also had two
members receive honors for the highest male individual GPA within
the athletic department including last years, Shawn Wadsworth from
Shawnee Mission South High School .
The 2008 version of the Eagles
will feature a strong pitching staff and an explosive offense, as
well as some new faces since Howard landed one the conference's
top recruiting classes. The pitching staff will be led by senior
Rob Carey, a first team all conference selection in 2007.
Carey is joined by seniors Matt Garner, Michael Brun, Scott Holder,
and juniors Zach Snyder, Santos Villanueva III, and Nathan Albert
who will all play a large part in the Eagles pursuit of a championship.
The bull pen will be led by junior Taylor Monjo who will be joined
by Juniors James Lane and Michael Brucks. Sophomore Wes Stancher
and Freshmen Jason Bell and Michael Liebenberg will be making their
first appearances on the mound for the Eagles this season.
This year the Eagles come
back strong with position players. Second Team All-Conference Award
winner senior 3 rd baseman Eric Menees leads the infield with Jeremy
Arbiso a first team all-conference and all-region 2 nd baseman in
2006 returns after redshirting in 2007. Junior transfer Jeff Woods
will take over at shortstop for the Eagles while Junior Kyle Mowatt
and Freshman Patrick Cocherl III will compete for playing time at
1 st base. Austin Speer, Eric Prickett, and Jesus Garcia will have
plenty of opportunities to display their talents on the Eagle infield.
Seniors Brad Davidson ( Blue
Springs , MO), Neftali Lizarraga, and Adam Rodriguez return to the
outfield for the Eagles. Junior Ryan Jensen looks to be in the stating
line-up at the beginning of the season. Vying for playing time in
the outfield, will be Junior Colby Ross and Freshmen Nathan Monteith
as well as Freshman Conner Ronan.
Drew Ambach and Brandon Haley
will be sharing time behind the plate for the Avila University Eagles
in 2008. Brian Flattinger will be backing up Ambach and Haley while
filling in as a utility player.
The first pitch of the Eagles
season will be on February 9th at home against Northwestern College
.
Good Luck Eagles
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