University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Announces 2009 Team Awards
5/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Minnesota baseball team announced its 2009 team awards at the annual team banquet on Tuesday, May 26. The Golden Gophers gave out eight awards, including the Richard “Chief” Siebert Most Valuable Player, the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year, the Paul Molitor Batting Champion, the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year, the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award, the George Thomas Most Improved Player Award, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award and the Teammate of the Year Award.
Junior second baseman Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.), who was named First-Team All-Big Ten last week, claimed the Richard "Chief" Siebert Most Valuable Player and Paul Molitor Batting Champion awards.
McCallum enters the week batting .404 with 17 home runs and 79 RBI. He currently leads the Big Ten in RBI (79), total bases (157), slugging percentage (.734) and is tied for first in home runs with 17. He also second in batting average (.404), second in hits (86) and second in on-base percentage (.480).
Entering the NCAA Tournament, McCallum is tied for eighth on the Minnesota single-season list in batting average, is tied for fourth in home runs, ninth in slugging percentage and is third in RBI. He was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament after reaching base in 14 of 23 plate appearances, batting .438 (7-16) with six runs, two home runs and seven RBI.
Senior pitcher Chauncy Handran (Scobey, Mont.) was named the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year. Handran, who went 4-1 in Big Ten play, enters the week with a 7-3 record, a 4.30 ERA and has pitched in 88.0 innings this year for the Golden Gophers. His seven wins are tied for sixth in the Big Ten and his 88.0 innings pitched are the ninth most by a Big Ten pitcher.
Senior Tom Buske (Apple Valley, Minn.), who received Third-Team All-Big Ten honors last week, was named the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year. On May 22 against Purdue, Buske pitched his first career complete game and collected his ninth win of the season. Buske became the first Golden Gopher to collect nine wins since Glen Perkins did so in 2004. Buske enters the NCAA Tournament with a 9-3 record, has a 3.36 ERA and has 71 strikeouts in 88.1 innings. His nine wins are tied for fourth in the Big Ten. Buske is also seventh in strikeouts and eighth in innings pitched.
Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) received the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award. Oakes, who has the most career appearances of anyone on the team with 54, is tied for fifth on the team with 14 appearances. From Apr. 1-28, five of his seven outings were shutout appearances. Off the field, Oakes is a three-time Big Ten All-Academic honoree.
The George Thomas Most Improved Player Award was given collectively to the 2009 Minnesota team. Entering the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Gophers had the largest turnaround in the nation going from last year's record of 20-35 to this year's mark of 38-17. Minnesota's winning percentage jump in Big Ten play from .739 (17-6) to 10-21 (.323) in 2008 was the largest jump in Big Ten play since 1964-65.
One of the most prestigious honors in the program, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award, was given to Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) The award is presented to an athlete who best demonstrates the special qualities of courage, determination and perseverance that were exhibited by David Chelesnik. The special scholarship is given in memory of an outstanding student-athlete who died of bone cancer on Labor Day, 1984, after completing one year of a lifelong dream - to play for the Golden Gophers. Matyas enters the NCAA Tournament with a 2.49 ERA, 14 saves, 40 strikeouts in 25.1 innings and a .196 opponents batting average. The 14 saves were a new single-season record for a Minnesota pitcher. Matyas also collected a school-record 10 saves in Big Ten play. He is second in the Big Ten in overall saves and was tied for first in saves in conference play.
Minnesota awarded the Teammate of the Year Award for the fifth year, given to the player whose attitude and actions most represent that team philosophy of the Golden Gophers program. Senior Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) received the honor. Nohelty enters the week batting .339 with 64 runs, 29 RBI and 25 stolen bases. The 64 runs lead the Big Ten, while the 25 stolen bases are second in the conference. Nohelty is also 10th in the Big Ten in hits with 77. He enters the NCAA Tournament, seventh in career batting average (.367), third in hits (300), sixth in runs scored (199), second in stolen bases (91) and fifth in at-bats (818).
Junior second baseman Derek McCallum (Shoreview, Minn.), who was named First-Team All-Big Ten last week, claimed the Richard "Chief" Siebert Most Valuable Player and Paul Molitor Batting Champion awards.
McCallum enters the week batting .404 with 17 home runs and 79 RBI. He currently leads the Big Ten in RBI (79), total bases (157), slugging percentage (.734) and is tied for first in home runs with 17. He also second in batting average (.404), second in hits (86) and second in on-base percentage (.480).
Entering the NCAA Tournament, McCallum is tied for eighth on the Minnesota single-season list in batting average, is tied for fourth in home runs, ninth in slugging percentage and is third in RBI. He was also named to the Big Ten All-Tournament after reaching base in 14 of 23 plate appearances, batting .438 (7-16) with six runs, two home runs and seven RBI.
Senior pitcher Chauncy Handran (Scobey, Mont.) was named the Dianne Olson-Ficenko Dugout Club Player of the Year. Handran, who went 4-1 in Big Ten play, enters the week with a 7-3 record, a 4.30 ERA and has pitched in 88.0 innings this year for the Golden Gophers. His seven wins are tied for sixth in the Big Ten and his 88.0 innings pitched are the ninth most by a Big Ten pitcher.
Senior Tom Buske (Apple Valley, Minn.), who received Third-Team All-Big Ten honors last week, was named the Dave Winfield Pitcher of the Year. On May 22 against Purdue, Buske pitched his first career complete game and collected his ninth win of the season. Buske became the first Golden Gopher to collect nine wins since Glen Perkins did so in 2004. Buske enters the NCAA Tournament with a 9-3 record, has a 3.36 ERA and has 71 strikeouts in 88.1 innings. His nine wins are tied for fourth in the Big Ten. Buske is also seventh in strikeouts and eighth in innings pitched.
Tyler Oakes (Jordan, Minn.) received the Paul Fortin Scholarship/Athlete Award. Oakes, who has the most career appearances of anyone on the team with 54, is tied for fifth on the team with 14 appearances. From Apr. 1-28, five of his seven outings were shutout appearances. Off the field, Oakes is a three-time Big Ten All-Academic honoree.
The George Thomas Most Improved Player Award was given collectively to the 2009 Minnesota team. Entering the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Gophers had the largest turnaround in the nation going from last year's record of 20-35 to this year's mark of 38-17. Minnesota's winning percentage jump in Big Ten play from .739 (17-6) to 10-21 (.323) in 2008 was the largest jump in Big Ten play since 1964-65.
One of the most prestigious honors in the program, the David Chelesnik Scholarship Award, was given to Scott Matyas (North Prairie, Wis.) The award is presented to an athlete who best demonstrates the special qualities of courage, determination and perseverance that were exhibited by David Chelesnik. The special scholarship is given in memory of an outstanding student-athlete who died of bone cancer on Labor Day, 1984, after completing one year of a lifelong dream - to play for the Golden Gophers. Matyas enters the NCAA Tournament with a 2.49 ERA, 14 saves, 40 strikeouts in 25.1 innings and a .196 opponents batting average. The 14 saves were a new single-season record for a Minnesota pitcher. Matyas also collected a school-record 10 saves in Big Ten play. He is second in the Big Ten in overall saves and was tied for first in saves in conference play.
Minnesota awarded the Teammate of the Year Award for the fifth year, given to the player whose attitude and actions most represent that team philosophy of the Golden Gophers program. Senior Matt Nohelty (Rothschild, Wis.) received the honor. Nohelty enters the week batting .339 with 64 runs, 29 RBI and 25 stolen bases. The 64 runs lead the Big Ten, while the 25 stolen bases are second in the conference. Nohelty is also 10th in the Big Ten in hits with 77. He enters the NCAA Tournament, seventh in career batting average (.367), third in hits (300), sixth in runs scored (199), second in stolen bases (91) and fifth in at-bats (818).
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