University of Albany's Brendan Rowland Named to America East Conference Baseball First Team

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- University at Albany’s Brendan Rowland and Ryan Gugel have been named to the 2008 America East All-Conference Baseball Team, as announced at the annual conference banquet on Wednesday, May 21. David Kubiak was voted to the conference all-rookie squad.

Rowland, a sophomore from Albany, N.Y., landed a spot on the all-conference first team. Rowland, the second consecutive UAlbany outfielder to earn first-team honors, had a team-best .332 batting average and led the conference with 74 hits, tying the second-best total in UAlbany history. He tied the single-season program record by scoring 50 runs and drove in 46 more, the fourth-best total in the conference and on the UAlbany single-season chart. Rowland recorded at least two hits in 17 games, including a season-high five against Hartford on April 5, and had multiple RBI on 14 occasions. In conference action, he ranked third with 35 hits, seventh with a .368 batting average and fifth in slugging percentage at .642. Rowland hit six home runs and scored 29 times in 24 league games, good for second in each category.

Gugel, a junior catcher from Batavia, N.Y., received All-America East honors with a spot on the all-conference second team. A junior college transfer from Genesee Community College, Gugel recorded a .297 average, 39 RBI and 13 stolen bases in his first season with the Great Danes. Behind the plate, he threw out 12 would-be base stealers, second-best among conference leaders. In league action, he had 30 hits for a .353 average and stole six bases, tied for second in the conference.

Kubiak, a freshman, was honored with all-rookie team recognition. Kubiak, a right-handed pitcher from Southold, N.Y., finished his freshman campaign with a 5-0 record, a team-best 3.92 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched. After moving into the starting rotation on March 29, Kubiak picked up all five wins and registered a 2.50 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. His 2.75 ERA in conference play was tops in the league and his four victories placed him second on the wins list.

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2008 America East All-Conference Baseball Team

First Team: Zach Groh, Binghamton; Joe Serafin, Vermont; Greg Lane, Binghamton; Myckie Lugbauer, Maine; Curt Smith, Maine; Ryan James, Binghamton; Kyle Klee, Binghamton; Bill Perry, Hartford; Joe Fowler, UMBC; Brian Witkowski, Stony Brook; Brendan Rowland, UAlbany; Will Delawter, UMBC.

Second Team: Tom Koehler, Stony Brook; Eric Thompson, Vermont; Jordan Purington, Stony Brook; Ryan Gugel, UAlbany; Ryan Holley, Binghamton; Chad Marshall, Stony Brook; Ben Sobocinski, Hartford; Kyle Massie, Vermont; Scott Peddicord, UMBC; Wink Nolan, UMBC; Justin Milo, Vermont; Mike Stephan, Stony Brook.

All-Rookie: David Kubiak, UAlbany; Peter Bregartner, Binghamton; Simon Kudernatsch, Hartford; Jarrett Lukas, Maine; Kevin Scanlon, Maine; Chad Marshall, Stony Brook; Stephen Marino, Stony Brook; Matt Duffy, Vermont; Mark Micowski, Vermont.