Phillips Named NEWMAC Player of the Year; Barlow Selected Coach of the Year
Phillips Named NEWMAC Player of the Year; Barlow Selected Coach of the Year
MIT enjoyed unprecedented recognition as the NEWMAC announced its major award winners and all-conference teams for the 2009 baseball season. Senior Thomas M. Phillips ‘09 slugged his way to Player of the Year honors behind the best offensive season in team history, while Andy Barlow was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Engineers to an appearance in the NEWMAC Championship for the second time in three years.
Phillips has been a monster at the plate all season, and continues to re-write the Institute’s record books with each passing game. Finishing the regular season as the NEWMAC leader in batting average, runs batted in, home runs, and total bases, Phillips is on pace to shatter MIT season records for slugging percentage and on-base percentage. He has already established new Institute records for home runs, RBI, and total bases. In addition to Player of the Year accolades, Phillips was also selected to the All-Conference First Team.
The Engineers also placed three players on the All-Conference Second Team in earning four all-league plaudits for the first time since 1998 when MIT was a member of the Constitution Athletic Conference (CAC). Catcher Daniel E. Hyatt ‘11, and outfielders Steven M. Nunez ‘09 and David M. Nole ‘09 were tabbed with postseason honors to complete Tech’s contingent. Hyatt is an outstanding defensive catcher who had thrown out 50 percent of all potential base-stealers (12-for-24) prior to the postseason. Nunez is a terrific two-way player who is also a starting pitcher for MIT while Nole ranks second on the team in runs scored, RBI, and stolen bases. After a slow start, Nole has been devastating for the opposition during the last month of play.
—James Kramer, DAPER Staff