June 16, 2005

St. John's University junior pitcher Craig Hansen (Glen Cove, NY) was named a first-team All-American by Baseball America, it was announced today. Hansen was one of two BIG EAST players, joining Pittsburgh second baseman Jim Negrych, named to the publication's first team.

This is the second All-American honor this year for Hansen, who was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American third-team, along with Red Storm junior pitcher Anthony Varvaro (Staten Island, NY).

Hansen was selected with the 26th pick in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox last week, becoming the first Red Storm player taken in the opening round since C.J. Nitkowski was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in 1994.

Hansen was named the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year on May 26, the first St. John's player to earn the award as the league's top hurler since Nitkowski won it 1994.

The junior closer saved 14 games - which ranks second in the nation - for the Red Storm this season, extending his school record for career saves to 26.

He finished the season with a 3-2 record and a 1.68 earned run average. Hansen notched eight saves this year in league games, tying the BIG EAST single-season record and also became the league's all-time saves leader with 14 saves in BIG EAST contests. Hansen struck out 85 batters in 64.1 innings of work, while registering an opponent batting average of .173.

In his last appearance for the Red Storm, Hansen started against Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, his first start since his freshman year, going seven innings and allowing three runs on eight hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

St. John's finished the 2005 season with a 41-18 record and were ranked No. 30 in the country by Collegiate Baseball. The team was selected as an at-large representative to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year and advanced to the Regional Championship, where they lost to third-ranked Oregon State. St. John's won the BIG EAST Regular Season Championship with a 19-4 mark in league play and posted a school record 41 wins, the most since the 1978 Frank Viola-led team advanced to the College World Series.