ABCA names Rotzoll second-team All-American
RIVER FOREST, Ill. -- Concordia Chicago's J.D. Rotzoll (Mount Prospect, IL – Prospect H.S.) continued to reap the benefits of a record-setting season for the Cougar baseball team with the announcement of yet another post-season honor. The American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) named the 6'4" Cougars' senior slugger as a second-team All-American at first base.

Rotzoll was previously recognized by the ABCA this season by being named to the first-team All-Central region team. This latest honor is the second one for Rotzoll from a national organization within the past week; he was named a third-team All-American by the D3baseball.com web site on May 21.

Rotzoll produced the most prolific season ever for a Cougar batter this season with several team records including batting average (.450), slugging percentage (.806) and hits (81). Many of his numbers ranked among the highest in the country, including base hits where he was tied for fifth.

Rotzoll also finished third in the Central Region Player of the Year voting by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association (NCBWA). Rotzoll's 55 points trailed only winner Brian Kolb of Wheaton College (93 points) and runner-up Jason Acevado of Carthage College (76). Rotzoll was awarded the NCBWA's Division III National Hitter of the Week for April 21-27 when he hit .565 with six homers in a six-game stretch for the Cougars.

The complete ABCA All-American team can be viewed at: http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/NCAAChampionship/2008/BaseHits/AllAmericans.html.

Courtesy of Concordia University Chicago, Sports Information Department, May 27, 2008.