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BASEBALLBASEBALL 20082008 Spartan Star Spartan Star SS PP AA Junior • Catcher Senior • Pitcher Ray Kosmicki Kyle Mueller RR Spartan Star Spartan Star TT AA NN Junior • Infielder Senior • Outfielder Kevin Fitzgerald Joe Infantino SS Getting to the Field 2008 Media Guide Solfisburg Park (Aurora, IL) Table of Contents From I-88: Getting to the Field (maps) . Inside front cover Exit I-88 at Farnsworth Avenue (South). AU Quick Facts . Inside front cover Take Farnsworth Ave south for approximately Media Outlets . 1 Head Coach Shaun Neitzel . 1 1 mile; turn right (west) onto Indian Trail. Assistant Coaches . 2 Take Indian Trail approximately 1/4 of a mile and 2008 Prospectus . 3 turn left onto Ohio Street. 2008 Spartan Roster . 4 Player Profiles . 5–10 Take Ohio approximately 1 mile and Solfisburg Park Program Honors . 11 is on the right hand side, just past the railroad 2007 Season Results . 11 tracks. 2007 Statistics . 12 2007 NAC . 12 Elfstrom Stadium (Geneva, IL) Past All-NIIC Selections . 13 NCAA Playoff Scores . 14 From I-88: Regional and National Honors . 14-15 AU NCAA Post-Season History . 16 Exit I-88 at Farnsworth Avenue (North). Year-by-Year Results/Coaching Records . 17 Farnsworth will become Kirk Road. AU Most Valuable Player Awards . 17 At Cherry Lane, turn left into the stadium. AU Records . .18–19 AU Directory . 20 AU Administration . 20 This is Aurora University . 21 2008 Game Schedule . 22 AU Quick Facts Location . Aurora, IL Founded . 1893 Enrollment . Approximately 4,000 Nickname . Spartans Colors . Royal Blue and White Conference . NAC Northern Athletics Conference National Affiliation . NCAA Division III President . Rebecca L. Sherrick Director of Athletics . Mark Walsh Athletics Phone . 630-844-5110 Athletics Fax . 630-844-7809 Head Baseball Coach . Shaun Neitzel Coach’s Record . 138-79-2 Assistant Coaches . Ryan Buchanan, Rich Swann and Alex Chapple 2007 Record . 17-21 Sports Information Director . Brian Kipley Sports Information Phone . 630-844-7575 Sports Information Fax . 630-844-3826 AU Spartan Sports Hotline . 630-844-3838 On the Cover: Senior Outfielder Peter Oliver 2008 Captains AU Media Outlets Meet the Head Coach SHAUN NEITZEL Local Print Head Coach Aurora Beacon-News............................. 101 S. River, Aurora, IL 60506 (Sixth Season) Todd Adams, Sports Editor 630-844-5911 Fax: 630-844-1043 Shaun Neitzel was named Head Kane County Chronicle............... 1000 Randall Rd., Geneva, IL 60134 Baseball Coach at Aurora University in Brian Schaumburg, Sports Editor 630-232-9222 2002, and has been coaching at the Fax: 630-232-4962 collegiate level for over a decade. Neitzel leads one of the most successful baseball Fox Valley Labor News ........................ P.O. Box 4155, Aurora, IL 60507 programs in the country, as the Spartans currently hold the Carter Crane, Editor 630-897-4022 11th best overall win total (544) since 1990. The 2006 Spartan Fax: 630-892-3873 squad won the Central Region and went on to a NCAA Division Daily Herald.............................. 3805-A Main St., St. Charles, IL 60174 III World Series appearance. That team finished with a 34-14 630-587-8623 overall record. His 2004 Spartans won the Central Region, and Fax: 630-587-8639 finished tied for 3rd place in the NCAA Division III World Series. For their efforts that season, Neitzel was named 2004 Kendall County Publications.......... 222 Bridge St., Yorkville, IL 60560 630-533-7034 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Central Region Fax: 630-533-7085 Coach of the Year. Along with working several instructional camps and individual lessons annually, Neitzel also is a long- Oswego Ledger-Sentinel ........................... Box 669, Oswego, IL 60611 standing member of the American Baseball Coaches 630-554-8565 Association (ABCA). Following the 2005 season, Neitzel was Fax: 630-554-7560 named Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Baseball Coach of Regional Print the Year. During his tenure as an assistant with the Spartans, Neitzel Chicago Tribune .......................... 435 N. Michigan, Chicago, IL 60611 Metro Sports 312-222-3474 served as a pitching coach, first base coach, administered AU’s Fax: 312-828-9392 junior varsity program and coordinated recruiting. During that time, the Spartans compiled a record of 167-45 (.790), winning Chicago Sun-Times........................ 350 N. Orleans, Chicago, IL 60654 five conference championships, while making four regional College Sports 312-321-2247 and two national tournament trips. “Playing at the national level is a high priority for our program. Our committment Radio/TV every year is to recruit high quality student-athletes who will WSPY (107.1 FM)......................... 1 Broadcast Center, Plano, IL 60545 take pride in putting on that Spartan uniform,” he said. WFXV (TV-30) 630-552-1000 Neitzel has his roots in the Aurora area as a graduate of Greg Burks, Sports Director Fax: 630-552-9000 nearby Oswego High School, where he was All-Area in football and basketball and All-Conference in baseball for the Panthers. Comcast (Ch. 4) ....................... 800 W. 5th Street, Naperville, IL 60563 630-552-1000 He also played baseball for Waubonsee Community College. While at WCC, he was twice the national co-leader for saves in a season. He set the school season and career records for saves Wire Services and appearances while pitching for the Chiefs as well. Associated Press .......................... 230 N. Michigan, Chicago, IL 60601 He also pitched for the nationally prominent William Penn Sports Desk 312-781-0500 College program, and upon finishing his collegiate playing Fax: 312-781-1989 career, he became an assistant coach for the Statesmen. As an assistant with the Statesmen, WPC was an NCAA tournament qualifier in 1995. He served as an infield coach and pitching coach through the 1996 season. Neitzel earned his B.A. in sports administration while minoring in sales and marketing. He also currently serves as the Event Coordinator at AU. He received his Master of Science degree in recreation administration from Aurora University. He and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Allison and Lily, All requests for interviews should be made through and currently reside in Montgomery, IL. Brian Kipley, Director of Sports Information, at 630-844-7575. Media should call in advance. AU Men’s Baseball 1 Meet the Assistant Coaches RYAN BUCHANAN ALEX CHAPPLE Assistant Coach Assistant Coach (First Season) (First Season) Ryan Buchanan joins the Aurora Alex Chapple joins the Aurora University baseball staff as an assistant University baseball coaching staff and coach after spending the previous four will work with the pitchers and the seasons as a member of the Benedictine junior varsity program. University baseball staff. In addition to Chapple entered the AU baseball his duties assisting Head Coach Shaun Neitzel, he will work program as a junior in the 2005 season and played two years with the infielders, hitters and the junior varsity team. with the Spartans. In those two years, he was part of two An NCAA Division III All-America first baseman in his NIIC championship teams, made two trips to the NCAA playing days, Buchanan started at first base for the Eagles regional and one trip to the Division III World Series (2006). for three seasons, earning Team MVP honors in both 2002 Chapple was an All-NIIC selection in 2006 and a two-time and 2003 and All-Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC) All-Central Region selection. accolades in the latter of those two campaigns. In 2003, he A native of Naperville, IL, and graduate of Neuqua Valley batted a team-high .415 with nine home runs and 53 runs High School, Chapple is currently finishing his degree at batted in, paced the squad with 68 hits and 17 doubles, and Aurora University. was a First-Team All-Region pick and a Third-Team All- America honoree by the American Baseball Coaches Association. That followed up a 2002 campaign in which he RICH SWANN posted career highs of 13 home runs and 56 RBI. Assistant Coach During his playing career, Benedictine made NCAA (First Season) Division III appearances in both 2000 and 2003, and won the NIIC title in 2003. A native of Peoria, IL, Buchanan Rich Swann enters his first year at earned his bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Aurora University. He brings 18 years of Benedictine University in 2004. coaching experience with him from Aurora Central Catholic High School. Throughout his years at ACC, Swann spent his time coaching baseball, basketball and football. In his 18 years of coaching, Swann spent six years as Head Baseball Coach, 12 as an assistant baseball coach, six years as football defensive coordinator and seven years as assistant football coach. 2 AU Men’s Baseball 2008 Baseball Prospectus After a rare disappointing season for the Spartans, The Spartan infield has three full-time starters return- they look to bounce back in 2008. AU finished with a 17- ing, which include Team MVP Josh Damore, who hit 21 record in 2007 which was its first losing season since .340 with 34 RBIs. Returning with Damore to the infield going 16-18 in 1983. The 2008 Spartans have a great will be first baseman Martin Diaz (.285, 25 RBIs) and combination of youth and experience that should help second baseman Luke Krippel (.280, 8 RBIs). With Ryan them regain their swagger this year. The Spartans are Losacco moving on to graduation, junior Kevin more than ready to say goodbye to the 2007 season and Fitzgerald (.329, 23 hits) will see full-time action at third look ahead to the 2008 campaign. base this season. Sophomore Steve Brauer (.286, 4 hits) The 2008 Spartans look to continue the long tradition hopes to play into the infield mix as well as he will be that the program has of being a national baseball pow- needed to back up Fitzgerald and give days off to erhouse.