June 30, 2005

Queens, NY - The St. John's Baseball team was rewarded for its hard work on the field this season with a 41-19 record, a BIG EAST regular season title and a trip to the NCAA Regional Championship. Now some of the players are reaping some rewards off the field.

Junior pitcher Craig Hansen (Glen Cove, NY), senior catcher Joe Burke (Brooklyn, NY), and junior pitcher Anthony Varvaro (Staten Island, NY) were selected for First Team All-Northeast honors as voted by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Junior outfielder Greg Thomson (Levittown, NY) was named to the second team. Hansen then received another great honor, named a Second Team All-American by the ABCA. In addition to the All-Northeast honors, all four players were taken in this year's Major League Baseball draft.

The Northeast Region is comprised of 42 Division I schools. Each of the 42 coaches nominates their players and then vote on the first and second teams. Overall, 285 schools compete in Division-I and are divided into eight regions. A Northeast first or second team selection automatically nominates the player for All-American honors.

For Hansen, it was another in a long line of accolades for the 2005 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year. Hansen, who set a St. John's single season record with 14 saves this year and is the BIG EAST Conference all-time leader with 26, was selected in the first-round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the defending World Series Champion Boston Red Sox (26th overall). He was also named First Team All-American by Baseball America and a Louisville Slugger Third-Team All-American. Hansen posted a 1.68 earned run average in 64.1 innings, with 85 strikeouts. In the NCAA Tournament opener against Virginia, a 5-3 St. John's win, Hansen started for the first time since 2003 and went 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Burke, who was taken by the New York Yankees in the 18th round, finished the season fourth on the team in hitting (.348 average) despite playing the most physically demanding position on the diamond. In addition to his high average, he also posted a .420 on-base percentage and a team second-best 41 RBI. Burke was a First Team All-BIG EAST selection and had been named to the Watch List for the Johnny Bench Award, recognizing the top catcher in Division I baseball.

Varvaro, a First Team All-BIG EAST selection and three-time recipient of the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week award, was one of the best starters in the league and was rewarded by the Seattle Mariners in the 12th round of this past year's draft. He finished the season leading all Red Storm starters in wins (nine), ERA (2.32), and strikeouts (115), also finishing second in innings pitched (85.1). Like Hansen, Varvaro was recognized as a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American.

Thomson, a First Team All-BIG EAST selection, was one of the top players in the BIG EAST this season. He batted .372, with seven home runs, 45 runs batted in, 22 doubles, 34 walks, 17 steals, and a .618 slugging percentage, which all led the team. His 74 hits, and .473 on-base percentage were second on the team. Thomson's 22 doubles rank third all-time in a single season, giving him 39 for his career, which ranks fifth all-time. The Arizona Diamondbacks took notice and drafted him in the 15th round.