Verbrick Named Midwest Region Baseball Pitcher of the Year

     UW-Stevens Point senior Bill Verbrick has been named the Midwest Region�s Pitcher of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America.

     The Appleton Xavier High School product was also a finalist for NCAA Division III national Pitcher of the Year honors and finished second in the voting to Josh Paddock of Aurora (Ill.), despite receiving four of six first-place votes on the national ballot. He is the first UW-Stevens Point pitcher to receive the regional honor from the NCBWA.

Verbrick was named the 2002 WIAC Pitcher of the Year after establishing WIAC season records with 102 innings pitched and 115 strikeouts. He was a first-team All-Midwest Region selection and second-team All-American and also set a UW-Stevens Point record with 10 victories, while posting a 10-2 record and 3.09 ERA. He holds WIAC single-season and career records for both innings pitched and strikeouts.

Verbrick also pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in WIAC history in a 5-0 win over UW-River Falls on April 6 and earned National Player of the Week honors for his efforts.

UW-La Crosse shortstop Vinnie Rottino was named the region�s position Player of the Year and finished third in the national voting behind National Player of the Year Todd Meyer of Alvernia (Pa.).