Coach Spano is...

CENTERVILLE, Mass. - Mercyhurst College's head baseball coach, Joe Spano, has been named the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Coach of the Year as announced by the conference office earlier today. Also announced today, second baseman Zak Blair and designated hitter Bill Gerstenslager were named to the ECAC Division II All-Star team.

Spano guided the Lakers to a 42-12 overall record, setting the school record for victories in a single season in the process. Mercyhurst finished the season ranked 19th in the country, capturing the program's first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship and a spot in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament, finishing in second place. It was the Lakers'  second NCAA appearance in the last three seasons and marked the program's eighth appearance overall.

For his efforts, Spano was named the ABCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and PSAC West Coach of the Year for the second time in the last three years. All told, he coached nine Lakers who achieved NCBWA postseason honors, a program-record 11 All-PSAC performers, and the conference's only two baseball All-Americans.

Blair, who was one of the Lakers' two All-Americans (joining pitcher Eric Aschley), earned the ECAC All-Star spot at second base. Blair, a Third Team Rawlings/ABCA All-American last year, finished second on the team with a .362 batting average. He tied the school record for hits with 76 and also led the team in runs batted in with 46.

Blair's big blast came in the eighth inning of an NCAA Regional game against East Stroudsburg, when he hit a three-run home run to break a 1-1 tie. It gave the Lakers the program record for wins and allowed Mercyhurst to move on in the winner's bracket in the regional.

Blair was also an ABCA/Rawlings All-Atlantic Region First Team selection, an NCBWA All-Atlantic Region Second Team member, and a All-PSAC West First Team honoree last season.

Meanwhile, Gerstenslager finished fifth on the team with a .312 batting average, earning the ECAC Division II All-Star selection at designated hitter. Gerstenslager was fourth on the team with a .452 slugging percentage, finishing second in home runs with four while adding 14 doubles. He finished fifth on the team with 31 runs batted in.

Gerstenslager was also an ABCA/Rawlings All-Atlantic First Team selection and an All-PSAC West First Team member.