MEDIA INFORMATION Table of Contents Media Information Baseball Quick Facts Media Information ........................ 1 CONTACT: Overseeing the Media Rela- GENERAL INFORMATION 2006 Baseball Quick Facts ........... 1 tions duties for the Pitt baseball team is School: University of Pittsburgh Brad Cuprik. Location: Pittsburgh, PA 15213 This is Pitt Baseball ................... 2-3 Founded: 1787 2006 Outlook .......................... 4-5 Enrollment: 33,796 PRESS SERVICES: Members of the me- Head Coach Joe Jordano ........... 6-8 Nickname: Panthers dia are supplied with weekly updates contain- Colors: Blue and Gold Assistant Coaches .................. 9-10 ing statistics, game summaries and infor- Home Field: Trees Field (500) Support Staff ............................ 10 mation regarding upcoming events. On game Dimensions: LF-302, LC-365, CF-400, RC-385, RF-328 2006 Pitt Roster ...................... 11 day, the media relations staff will distribute Affiliation: NCAA Division I 2006 Pitt Panther Profiles ..... 12-20 game programs, team and individual statis- Conference: Big East Conference 2006 Pitt Newcomers .......... 21-22 tics and all postgame information. Chancellor: Mark A. Nordenberg 2006 Opponents ................. 23-27 Athletic Director: Jeff Long MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT: Athletic Dept. Phone: (412) 648-8200 Big East Baseball ....................... 28 Located on the Event Level of the Petersen COACHING STAFF 2005 Results ........................... 29 Events Center. Head Coach: Joe Jordano 2005 Statistics ................... 30-31 Director/Assistant AD: E.J. Borghetti Alma Mater: Westminster '85 Record Book ....................... 32-39 Assoc. Director: Greg Hotchkiss Record at Pitt (Yrs.): 231-181-2 (9th) Overall Record (Yrs.): 514-299-2 (19th) All-Time Coaching Records .......... 40 Asst. Director/Baseball Contact: Associate Head Coach: Joel Dombkowski Worth Baseball ......................... 41 Brad Cuprik (Mercyhurst 91) Distinguished Panthers .......... 42-43 Media Relations Asst.: Nicole Amato Assistant Coach: Sean Moran (Mercy College, 98) Panther Standouts ..................... 44 Media Relations Asst.: Sophia Duck Administrative Asst.: Celeste Welsh Volunteer Assistant: Tony Liska All-Time Roster..................... 45-47 Baseball Office Phone: (412) 648-8208 Phone Number: (412) 648-8240 Baseball Facilities ....................... 48 Fax Number: (412) 648-8248 2005 REVIEW Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7436, 2005 Overall Record: 33-22 2005 Big East Finish:15-10/4th Pittsburgh, PA 15213 2005 Postseason: 2-2/2nd place at Pittsburgh Media Outlets Overnight Address: 3719 Terrace Big East Championship Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 Associated Press, 6 Gateway Center, 2006 TEAM INFORMATION Suite 222, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. (412) Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/8 281-3747. Fax: (412) 281-1869. INTERVIEW POLICY: If a member of the Position Starters Returning/Lost: 7/2 media wishes to interview or photograph a Key Pitchers Returning/Lost: 6/4 Beaver County Times, 400 Fair Avenue, Pitt baseball player or coach, contact Brad Beaver, PA 15009. (724) 775-3272. Fax: Top Position Returners: (724) 775-4180. (Ed Rose, sports editor). Cuprik of the Media Relations Department in (Avg., HR, RBI, SB) advance. Every attempt will be made to fulfill Jim Negrych, 2B, JR .349, 16, 59, 11 FSN Pittsburgh, Two Allegheny Center, the request as efficiently and as quickly as Jimmy Mayer, SS, SR .317, 0, 22, 11 Suite 1000, Pittsburgh, PA 15212. (412) possible. Peter Parise, OF, JR .316, 2, 40, 5 Sean Conley, OF, SO .299, 0, 26, 13 322-9500. Fax: (412) 323-9740. (Paul Interviews with athletes will be set up only Kotsuth, executive producer). David Cline, OF, SR .268, 1, 21, 17 by the Media Relations Office. Please allow Jeff Stevens, C, SR .248, 6, 31, 0 Panther Sports Network, 502 William at least one day's notice or more. Ath- Top Pitchers Returning: Pitt Union, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. (412) letes' telephone numbers will not be (W-L, ERA, IP, SO, BB, SV) 401-5994. Fax: (412) 648-8491 (Yannick released to the media. Interviews with Billy Muldowney, JR Skerritt, sports editor). any of the coaches can be arranged by 7-3, 2.47, 83.2, 89, 19, 0 contacting them directly. Coaches' office Rob Brant, SO Pitt News, 434 William Pitt Union, Pitts- 7-2, 2.07, 61.0, 68, 23, 1 burgh, PA 15260. (412) 648-7980. Fax: numbers are listed in the athletics depart- Paul Nardozzi, JR (412) 648-8491 (Geoff Dutelle, editor]. ment directory in the back portion of this 4-5, 4.02, 62.2, 66, 25, 1 guide. Chad Baker, SO Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 34 Boulevard 2-0, 2.45, 22.0, 21, 10, 0 of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. (412) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 263-1621. Fax: (412) 263-1926. (Jerry Editor: Brad Cuprik MEDIA RELATIONS INFORMATION Micco, asst. managing editor/sports). Contributing Editors: E.J. Borghetti, Greg Media Relations Contact: Brad Cuprik Hotchkiss, Nicole Amato, Sophia Duck Cell Phone: (412) 523-3239 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, D.L. Clark Contributors: Celeste Welsh, Heather Email Address: [email protected] Bldg., 503 Martindale St., 3rd Floor, Pgh., Howe, A. Brooks Renoll, Anne Reddy Work Phone: (412) 648-1018 PA 15212. (888) PIT-TRIB. Fax: (412) 320- Computer Page Design: Brad Cuprik Media Relations Phone: (412) 648- 7964 (Kevin Smith, sports editor). Cover Design: Brad Cuprik, Schiff Printing 8240 Photography: Mike Drazdzinski, Joe Media Relations Fax: (412) 648-8248 Kapelewski, Jim Burke, Harry Bloomberg, Web Address: Herb Ferguson, Gary Guydosh, Clem Marion, www.pittsburghpanthers.com Michael E. Haritan, Bob Stowell, Chaz Palla, Tony Fiorini, Wagner Photography, Sean Brady. Printing: Schiff Printing 1 PITT PANTHERS BASEBALL PITT has won 30 or more games four consecutive seasons and five times this decade under head coach JOE JORDANO. From 2002-05, the Panthers have a 143-76-1 cumulative record, winning 65 percent of their games. 2002 .............. 36-16 2003 .............. 36-20 2004 .............. 38-18 2005 .............. 33-22 A WIN AWAY - The Panthers advanced to HONORS - Pitcher Rob Brant was named the Big East title game in 2005, a win away from a Freshman All-American in 2005 by Louis- its fourth NCAA Regional appearance. Pitt has ville Slugger - the Panthers fifth All- finished among the top four in the Big East the American in the past four years, including past two seasons to qualify for the postseason Brad Rea (2002), Jim Negrych (2004-05), tournament in Bridgewater, N.J. P.J. Hiser (2004) and Ben Copeland (2005). 2 A WINNING PROGRAM RECORD BOOKS - Along with keeping up a winning tradition this decade, numerous Panthers have rewritten the programs record books. Including current second baseman JIM NEGRYCH (right), ten Panthers have broken 11 individual season and 16 individual career records. In addition, Pitt has set seven single- season team records since 2003. IN THE BIG EAST UNDER JOE JORDANO TWENTY All-Big East Honors JOE JORDANO 2004 Coach of the Year P.J. HISER 2004 Player of the Year NICK EVANGELISTA 2004 Co-Pitcher of the Year JIM NEGRYCH 2004 Rookie of the Year TWENTY-FIVE Big East Weekly Honors BIG LEAGUES - Since 2000 under the direction of Joe Jordano, 15 Panthers have signed contracts to play professional ball, including San Francisco Giants draft pick BEN COPELAND (left) in 2005. MLB DRAFT PICKS UNDER JORDANO 1999 - Lou Melucci (Montreal Expos) 2000 - Joe Lydic (Houston Astros) Jory Coughenour (Houston Astros) 2002 - Brant Colamarino (Oakland Athletics) Eric Ackerman (Kansas City Royals) 2004 - Nick Evangelista (Philadelphia Phillies) P.J. Hiser (Cleveland Indians) T.J. Gornati (San Francisco Giants) 2005 - Ben Copeland (San Francisco Giants) 3 2006 PITT BASEBALL OUTLOOK our straight 30-win seasons and five INFIELDERS Fin the past six years has Pitt baseball Three-quarters of the Pitt infield will be back on the map heading into 2006. back starting again and the Panthers also All-America candidates JIM NEGRYCH and have veteran options at the only open start- BILLY MULDOWNEY return to anchor a ing spot - first base. team loaded with talent, making this Pan- Negrych, a junior second baseman, was ther team a legitimate contender for the Big voted the Big East Preseason Player of the East title and a berth in the NCAA Champi- Year for the second consecutive season, and onships. earned All-America honors in 2005. An NCAA berth has eluded the Panthers His 16 home runs and 59 RBIs led the since 1995, a fact not lost on head coach Panthers and he finished with a solid .349 JOE JORDANO, who has guided Pitt to average. Thirty-one of his 65 hits went for those five 30-win season and has 231 vic- extra bases and he stole 11 bases as well, tories in eight years as the manager. giving Pitt a consistent weapon at the top Every game is important to earn that of the batting order. spot in the NCAA Championship field, Jim has the talent and the skills to per- Jordano said. With the new schools com- form even better than he did a year ago, peting in the Big East, our conference games Jordano said. Hes not only one of the best are going to be that much more important. position players in the Big East but in the With the addition of USF, Cincinnati and Northeast region. Louisville, the Big East has become a 12- Entering the 2006 season, Negrych is team conference and certainly a more com- eighth in career batting average (.364), fifth JIM NEGRYCH petitive league as well. in slugging percentage (.641), eighth in on- The Panthers finished 33-22 in 2005, base percentage (.468), 13th in hits (141), Button joins the Panthers in 2006 from winning 19 of their final 28 games and com- 14th in runs scored (96), sixth in home runs Gloucester College, where he earned NJCAA ing within one game of the Big East title and (23), tied for fifth in doubles (34), ninth in District Defensive Player of the Year hon- an NCAA berth. Pitt won two games in the RBIs (104), 10th in total bases (248) and ors and was named the MVP of the NJCAA Big East Championships, defeating St.