Cotuit's Kellen Kulbacki Named NCAA's Very Best

For Immediate Release

James Madison Slugger Shatters School Records, Tops in Nation in HRs

By Sean Walsh, Photo By Rick Heath/CAA

COTUIT, MA — As if being in first place in the Western Division wasn't enough for the storied Cotuit Kettleers' franchise.

   This week the Cotuit organization learned that one of its top recruits for the 2006 season -- James Madison University slugger Kellen Kulbacki -- had been named the Co-Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball News.

    The first-team All-American was ranked second in the nation in batting with a .464 clip, led the nation in home runs (24), collected 75 runs batted in, picked up 17 doubles, added 13 stolen bases and had the number one slugging percentage in the United States (.943).

    Sophomore Kulbacki virtually shattered or matched all of James Madison's slugging records previously set by former Bourne Braves star Mike Butia.

     To top it all off, Kulbacki was recently featured in Sports Illustrated as one of the Faces in the Crowd feature section, and is one of five finalists for the 2006 Dick Howser Trophy.

    The honor is given to the top player in collegiate baseball and selected by three rounds of voting by the membership of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.  The NCBWA works in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce to present the annual award.  This year's winner will be announced June 16 at 10 a.m. (CDT) in Omaha, Neb., site of the Men's College World Series.

      Kulbacki was earlier named the National Co-Player of the Year by the publication Collegiate Baseball and a first-team Louisville Slugger and College Baseball Foundation All-American.  He was also the 2006 Player of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association.  

      Kulbacki is the national home run (24 total and 0.45 per game) and slugging (.943) leader.  His season batting average of .464 ranks second nationally, and his 1.42 RBIs per game stands tied for fourth across the nation.  He set JMU season records for homers, batting average, slugging percentage, total bases (183) and tied the record for RBIs.  He also tied the CAA record for home runs.