Temple University Athletics
Sean Barksdale Named First Team All-Atlantic 10
5.19.09 | Baseball
May 19, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Temple senior outfielder Sean Barksdale has been named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team, in voting conducted by the league's head coaches, the conference office announced today. Barksdale batted .371 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI this season.
"We're very proud of Sean," head coach Rob Valli said. "His work ethic has set himself apart and he is in rare company in the Temple record books. We look forward to seeing him get a chance to play professionally."
The co-captain, who also earned first team all-league honors as a sophomore in 2007, becomes the first Owl to earn first team honors twice in his career since former major leaguer Bobby Higginson in 1991 and 1992. Barksdale set career-highs in average, runs (53), hits (78), doubles (13), homers and slugging pct. (.638).
A Glenolden, PA native (Cardinal O'Hara), Barksdale broke Pete Dempsey's 31-year old career RBI record at Temple on May 8 vs. Saint Louis and finished his career with 162 runs batted in. He also finished third in career homers (27), fifth in hits (222), seventh in stolen bases (53), seventh in at-bats (642) and tenth in games started (156), despite playing only three seasons at TU.
Barksdale's 15 home runs this season are third in Temple's record book and his 56 RBI are fifth. His 78 hits are good for sixth on the single season list.
He led the Atlantic 10 in total bases (134) and was second in home runs, hits and runs scored in 2009. Barksdale was in the top ten in slugging (7th) and batting average (9th). His .485 batting average with runners in scoring position was among the nation's best and he improved that number to .526 in conference games.
Senior shortstop Dan Rhault of Rhode Island was named the Atlantic 10 Baseball Player of the Year while Pat Lehman, a senior righthander from George Washington, earned Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year honors and freshman pitcher Cameron Hobson of Dayton was named Rookie of the Year. In that same vote, Dayton's Tony Vittorio was tabbed Coach of the Year.
Additionally, Saint Louis senior shortstop Ryan Bennett was named Student-Athlete of the Year in voting among the Conference's sports information directors.
Joining Barksdale, Rhault and Lehman on the All-Conference first-team are Rob Lyerly of Charlotte; George Washington's Sean Rockey; Jimmy Roesinger, Jacob Spaeth and Scott Dunwoody from Dayton; Mike Donato and Jim MacDonald of Massachusetts; Eric Smith from Rhode Island; and Xavier's Jordan Conley.
In addition to Hobson, the second-team consists of teammate Max Navalinski; Ben Thomas, Conley and Adam Pasono of Xavier; Rhode Island's Oliver Palmer and Luke Demko; Danny Leach of Fordham; and Charlotte's Justin Wilson, Zane Williams, Ryan Rivers and Joe Yermal.
See the attached PDF for the complete teams.
