University of Massachusets Athletics
Baseball Announces 2016 Team Awards
October 12, 2016 | Baseball
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts baseball announced its 2016 team award winners at the program's annual golf outing dinner last weekend. John Jennings, who completed his career with the Minutemen this past spring, was honored as the team's 2016 MVP, while current senior captains Mike Hart and Dylan Morris received the squad's Coaches Award and Dennis DellaPiana Memorial Award, respectively.
Jennings, a co-captain for the 2016 season as a senior, was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team after setting new career highs in virtually every statistical category in 2016 and was also named to the NEIBA Division I All-New England Second Team.
The Newton, Mass., native was one of two UMass players to start all 45 games in 2016, including 40 behind the plate, and finished with a .298 batting average after reaching the 50-hit plateau for the first time in his career. Jennings posted the highest home runs total by a member of the Minutemen since 2011, belting nine this season to rank tied for sixth among the A-10 leaders. He finished fourth in the conference with a .540 slugging percentage, aided by a team-high 10 doubles and two triples. Jennings also paced UMass in RBI (32) and runs scored (30) in 2016, as well, and logged 14 multi-hit games and a team-high nine multi-RBI games. Jennings finished his UMass career with 60 RBI and 49 runs scored on 114 hits over 143 career games with 123 starts.
Hart was given the Coaches Award for Most Improved Player of 2016 in recognition of his breakout season for the Minutemen in 2016, that saw him appear in 43 of a possible 45 games for UMass in 2016, starting all 43. The Lowell, Massachusetts, native led the Minutemen with a .313 batting average last season and contributed 14 RBI, 25 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples and three home runs, while stealing five bases on six attempts, as well. Through three seasons in a UMass uniform, Hart has appeared in 63 games with 53 starts, totaling 18 RBI and 30 runs scored on 61 hits with eight doubles, three triples and four home runs.
Morris was given the Dennis DellaPiana Memorial Award for exemplifying courage, determination, and sportsmanship. First instituted in May of 1966, the award honors the memory of Dennis DellaPiana, who was truly a great student-athlete at the University of Massachusetts in the mid 1960's, but died in April of 1966 during his senior year after a long battle with Hodgkin's disease. His courage, determination and sportsmanship were outstanding.
Morris, one of two Minutemen to play and start all 45 games in 2016, ranked second on the squad in RBI (30) and runs scored (28) as a junior with eight doubles, one triple and two home runs on 47 hits, contributing to a .253 average. The West Barnstable, Mass., native finished second on the team in multi-RBI games (7), third in multi-hit games (12) and posted Umass' longest hitting streak of the season at 14 straight. In his career thus far, Morris has seen action in 112 career contests with 95 starts and has totaled 89 career hits with 13 doubles, one triple and three home runs, while registering 45 RBI and 46 runs scored.
For continued coverage of UMass baseball, follow the team on Twitter @UMassBaseball and on Facebook at facebook.com/UMassBaseball.
Jennings, a co-captain for the 2016 season as a senior, was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team after setting new career highs in virtually every statistical category in 2016 and was also named to the NEIBA Division I All-New England Second Team.
The Newton, Mass., native was one of two UMass players to start all 45 games in 2016, including 40 behind the plate, and finished with a .298 batting average after reaching the 50-hit plateau for the first time in his career. Jennings posted the highest home runs total by a member of the Minutemen since 2011, belting nine this season to rank tied for sixth among the A-10 leaders. He finished fourth in the conference with a .540 slugging percentage, aided by a team-high 10 doubles and two triples. Jennings also paced UMass in RBI (32) and runs scored (30) in 2016, as well, and logged 14 multi-hit games and a team-high nine multi-RBI games. Jennings finished his UMass career with 60 RBI and 49 runs scored on 114 hits over 143 career games with 123 starts.
Hart was given the Coaches Award for Most Improved Player of 2016 in recognition of his breakout season for the Minutemen in 2016, that saw him appear in 43 of a possible 45 games for UMass in 2016, starting all 43. The Lowell, Massachusetts, native led the Minutemen with a .313 batting average last season and contributed 14 RBI, 25 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples and three home runs, while stealing five bases on six attempts, as well. Through three seasons in a UMass uniform, Hart has appeared in 63 games with 53 starts, totaling 18 RBI and 30 runs scored on 61 hits with eight doubles, three triples and four home runs.
Morris was given the Dennis DellaPiana Memorial Award for exemplifying courage, determination, and sportsmanship. First instituted in May of 1966, the award honors the memory of Dennis DellaPiana, who was truly a great student-athlete at the University of Massachusetts in the mid 1960's, but died in April of 1966 during his senior year after a long battle with Hodgkin's disease. His courage, determination and sportsmanship were outstanding.
Morris, one of two Minutemen to play and start all 45 games in 2016, ranked second on the squad in RBI (30) and runs scored (28) as a junior with eight doubles, one triple and two home runs on 47 hits, contributing to a .253 average. The West Barnstable, Mass., native finished second on the team in multi-RBI games (7), third in multi-hit games (12) and posted Umass' longest hitting streak of the season at 14 straight. In his career thus far, Morris has seen action in 112 career contests with 95 starts and has totaled 89 career hits with 13 doubles, one triple and three home runs, while registering 45 RBI and 46 runs scored.
For continued coverage of UMass baseball, follow the team on Twitter @UMassBaseball and on Facebook at facebook.com/UMassBaseball.
Players Mentioned
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