PROFILE OF THE WEEK (April 16, 2008)
NOTES: Rutgers-Newark all-time leader in walks (133) and stole bases (71) who posted a .332 batting average while starting every game at second base but one during his 4-year career… second on Raider all-time hits list with 207… tied with double-play partner Patrick Reitemeyer (2008-11) with 160 starts… helped Raiders to a cumulative record of 85-75-1 capped by three consecutive 20-win season, three ECAC Metro Championship playoff berths and a pair of NJAC Championship Tournament appearances… two-time ABCA/Rawlings Mid-Atlantic Golden Glove second baseman (2008 & 2010)… career fielding average of .978 with just 17 errors in 779 chances.
SENIOR (2011): Despite playing the majority of the season with a separated left should, started 41 games and led NCAA D-III in walks for the 23-19 Scarlet Raiders who shared the ECAC Metro Championship… tied the R-N single season record with 44 walks (shared with Dave Sica – 2006) to lead D-III while ranking second in walks per game average… swiped an R-N record 26 bases (in just 32 tries)… suffered should injury in the third inning of the second game of an NJAC doubleheader sweep of New Jersey City (4/2/11)… batted .244 with 33 hits and 39 runs… 44 walks pushed his on-base percentage to .436… hit safely in 26 games with seven multiple-hit games… drew a walk in 26 games with 13 multiple-walk games… walked four times, stole three bases, scored four runs and went one for two in a 16-13 win over Baruch (3/29/11)… walked four times, stole two bases, scored three runs and led off the game with a single in an 11-10 win over Wabash (3/11/11)… drew three walks, scored twice, stole two bases in a 12-7 win over Ramapo (5/3/11) in the opening round of the NJAC Championship playoffs, delivering a 2-run double in the 12-run fifth inning.
JUNIOR (2010): ABCA/Rawlings Mid-Atlantic Golden Glove Second Baseman and All-NJCBA Division II/III second team pick after starting all 43 games for the 22-21 Raiders… Honorable mention All-NJAC… hit .340 with a school-record and NJAC-leading 58 runs scored… tied for team lead with 55 hits which included six doubles and a triple to give him a .389 slugging percentage… led the team and tied for the NJAC lead with 34 walks (tied for eighth most in a season at R-N) to up his on-base percentage to .468… stole 16 bases (tied for 10th best season in R-N books and tied for sixth for the season in the NJAC) in just 17 tries… helped turn 27 double plays while committing just three errors in 185 chances (.984)… hit safely in 34 games with 15 multiple-hit games… went four for five with two singles and an RBI in the first inning of a crucial 8-3 win over TCNJ (4/24)… went three for three and scored three runs in a 13-5 loss at Johns Hopkins (3/7)… in a doubleheader sweep of Cal Lutheran (3/19), went three for five with two RBIs and a walk in each game while scoring five runs… had a pair of 2-run singles and stole a base in a 20-9 win over Baruch (4/11)… went three for five with an RBI and two stolen bases while scoring four times – including the winning run in the ninth – in an 8-7 win at Rowan (4/17).
SOPHOMORE (2009): All-New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association third team selection… started all 38 games at second base, battling through injuries to post a .346 batting average and a .967 field percentage… lead Raiders with 41 runs scored and 31 walks while ranking second in hits (54)… stole 19 bases in just 22 attempts… collected three doubles, a triple and a home run to post a .397 slugging percentage… registered a .466 on-base percentage… struck out just 15 times… committed just six errors in 184 chances with 97 assists while helping to turn 29 double plays… had an assist in all but two games… hit safely in 30 games, compiling 18 multiple-hit games… went three for five with three RBIs, a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in an 11-7 loss to Ramapo (4/25)… went three for four with two RBIs in 12-1 win over John Jay (4/14)… in NJAC doubleheader against Rowan (4/18), went six for 10 with three hits in each contest, tripled, scored three times and drove in two runs... went three for four, walked three times, stole four bases, scored three times and drove in two runs in a 21-6 win over Staten Island (4/27)… notched his first career home run while going two for four with three RBIs, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored in a 16-9 win over Lehman (4/8)…
FRESHMAN (2008): Recorded probably the best rookie season ever at Rutgers-Newark sweeping Rookie Player of the Year awards from the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association and the ECAC Metro… Scarlet Raider leader in batting average (.382), runs (45) and hits (65) while making just three errors in 208 chances (98.6%)… ABCA/Rawlings Mid-Atlantic Golden Glove Award winner at second base who helped turn 34 double plays… third-team ABCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region second baseman… third team NJCBA All-State pick… four-time NJAC Rookie Player of the Week… in NJAC play, hit .357 with a .405 slugging percentage and a .426 on-base norm… tied for team lead with 24 walks and chalked up a .462 on-base percentage… swiped 10 bases in 13 tries… started all 38 games, posting 19 multiple-hit efforts… hit safely in all but six games… had a streak of 13 consecutive error-free games broken up by a fielding error against DeSales (4/9) before closing out the season with a string of 14 games without a miscue… committed no errors in 18 NJAC games… notched four 4-hit games, going four for five in each one: Redlands (3/16), Whittier (3/22), Rutgers-Camden (4/5) and Staten Island (4/22)… drove in a three runs in a 13-4 win over Rutgers-Camden (4/5), going four for five with a double, a walk and a stolen base… fueled a 7-4 win over Stevens (3/9) by going three for three with an RBI bunt and a double, walking three times and stealing a base… had an assist in all but one game – a 20-3 romp over Lehman (4/10)… stole two bases while going two for five, walking twice, driving in a run and scoring twice in an 18-7 win over New Jersey City(2/27).
HIGH SCHOOL: Enjoyed a remarkable scholastic four-year varsity career at Hasbrouck Heights High School… started second base for head coach Rocco Minichiello and led the Aviators to a 76-26 mark and three BCSL National titles as well as four straight Bergen County and state playoff tournament berths… set school career records in hits (163), runs scored (139), stolen bases (112), and RBI (86) and also owns the program’s season hit record with 57 in his senior year… considered one of the top middle infielders in the state in his senior year… earned First-Team All-State Group 1, All-Bergen County, All-BCSL, All-North Jersey honors and was named Associated Press Third Team All-State… hit .527 with 41 runs scored and 35 stolen bases and helped his team win its first sectional title… played three years of varsity basketball and was named team captain his senior year.
PERSONAL: Son of Russ and Ellen Connors… majoring in finance and management… editor of school newspaper in high school… member of National Honor Society.
