Press Box

Academic Honors

Ninety-two student-athletes were named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the spring 2008 semester. To be recognized, student-athletes must have a semester grade-point average of 3.5 or better. Sixteen student-athletes earned a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2008 spring semester.

Zach Zaneski

Zaneski Signs With Texas Rangers

URI catcher Zach Zaneski has signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers. The Waterford, Conn., native is the eighth Rhode Island baseball player to sign with an MLB team since 2003.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” said Zaneski. “I had a great four years at Rhode Island and wouldn’t be in this position right now without the support of my coaches and teammates.”

Zaneski, a two-time All-Atlantic 10 selection and recipient of this year’s Rick Ligi Team MVP Award, finished the 2008 season with a team-best .355 batting average. He also led the squad with 77 hits, 49 runs, 46 RBI, 17 doubles, a .449 on-base percentage and 108 total bases.

Defensively, he led all A-10 catchers, having thrown out 27 potential base stealers. He ranks third all-time at URI with 1,027 career putouts and was one of 48 Division I student-athletes in the running for the 2008 Johnny Bench Award that is presented annually to the nation’s top catcher.

“I am really proud of Zach,” said head coach Jim Foster. “He had a great career here and certainly deserves this opportunity. He has been everything a coach could ask for both on and off the field.”

Zaneski is the eighth Rhode Island baseball player to sign with an MLB team since 2003. Steve Holmes was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round (154th overall) of the 2006 Draft, Rhode Island’s highest-ever draft pick. In 2005, Zack Zuercher was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round (290th overall), while Mike Rainville (Tampa Bay Devil Rays) and Mick Lefort (Chicago Cubs) signed free agent contracts. Dan Batz went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2004 Draft (178th overall) and right-handed pitchers Reid Willett (21st round, 613th pick, Chicago Cubs) and Jared Trout (28th round, 842nd pick, Oakland Athletics) were selected after their junior seasons and signed professional contracts in 2003.

The 2008 Rhode Island baseball team collected more wins that any other Division I team in New England, finishing its season with an overall record of 31-27-1. In conference play, the Rams posted a 15-11-1 mark to qualify for their sixth-consecutive Atlantic 10 tournament. There, fifth-seeded URI took down fourth-seeded Temple (7-1) and top-seeded Xavier (11-4) before falling to Charlotte (11-1) and No. 1 Xavier (3-0) to finish third.

URI pitcher Brett Palanski was named to the All-Championship Team while infielder Shaun Hagey earned First Team All-Conference honors and Zaneski landed a spot on the Second Team. Foster and closer Tim Boyce were both recognized by the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association as the pair was selected to participate in the 2008 NEIBA All-Star game at Fenway Park.

Jasmine Jennings

Rhody Duo Competes at NCAA Outdoor Track Championship

Jasmine Jennings and Sarah Thornton of the women’s outdoor track & field team competed in the hammer throw at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship at Drake University. Jennings, who became the first URI student-athlete to win an NCAA Regional title, earned an automatic qualifier after winning the regional championship on May 31 at Florida State with a throw of 205-06. She finished 26th at the national championship meet. Thornton, who finished eighth at the NCAA East Regional, earned an at-large invitation into the field of the national championship meet. She did not register an official mark, fouling on each of her attempts. It was the first trip to the NCAA Championship for both student-athletes.

Brad Valois, left, and Mark Stevens.

Stevens, Valois Earn PING All-New England Honors

Mark Stevens and Brad Valois were named to the 2008 Division I PING All-New England Region golf team. Stevens finished the 2008 spring season with a stroke average of 74.8. He competed in seven events for the Rams, posting a low-round of 68 at the Marshall Invitational on April 5. On five occasions, Stevens fired off rounds of 72 or lower. He helped lead URI to a third-place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship on May 2-4, tying for eighth place overall with a three-day total of 214 (-2). Valois compiled a 76.5 stroke average in seven events during the 2008 spring campaign. He finished in a tie for 35th place at the Atlantic 10 Championship and earned a top 10 finish at the Marshall Invitational from April 4-5. Valois had three rounds of 72 or less, including the best round of the season by a Rhody golfer. PING All-Region teams consist of the top 15 individuals in their region in the Individual Ranking System. Members of the PING All-Region teams are eligible for PING All-America honors.

Safi Mojidi

Mojidi Named Top R.I. Female Collegiate Athlete

On June 18, women’s basketball standout guard Safi Mojidi received the Rhode Island Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year award at the second-annual Cox Rhode Island Sports Awards presented by Amica. Mojidi, who previously was honored as the Rhode Island Division I Women’s Basketball Player of the Year, led the Rams in scoring this past season, averaging 12.2 points per game. She finished her career as URI’s all-time three-point field goal leader (185). She holds the top spot in career minutes played (3,829), ranks second all-time with a .796 free-throw percentage, and is third all-time in scoring (1,601) and assists (354). A three-time All-Atlantic 10 selection, Mojidi represented her native Nigeria at the 2007 FIBA African Championship for Women.

Callum Bissett

Bissett Honored with Atlantic 10 Sporting Award

Callum Bissett of the men’s soccer team was honored with the 2008 Atlantic 10 Sporting Award presented annually to a student-athlete who exemplifies good sportsmanship. The native of Pencaitland, Scotland, maintained a 3.2 grade-point average while majoring in international business. He graduated early (December 2007) after studying at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Bissett has served as a clinician for South County Youth Soccer, Rams FC, and Rhode Island Stingrays Youth Camps, and participated in the Rhody Life Skills Reading Program. He volunteered at URI’s Child Development Center and coached soccer for the Project Goal Inner City Youth Soccer Program. Bissett is the second Ram to receive the A-10 Sporting Award; women’s track & field student-athlete Courtney Klenk was recognized in 2006.