May 24, 2006 - Davis MAAC Coach of the Year / Hayes MAAC Rookie of the Year

May 24, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Baseball
Davis MAAC Coach of Year, Hayes Rookie of Year

FISHKILL, NY—Rider University baseball coach Barry Davis was named the Co-Coach of the Year and freshman right fielder Jamie Hayes was named the Rookie of the Year at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Baseball Championships Awards Dinner Wednesday.

In just his second season at Rider, Davis led the Broncs to their first post-season play since 2002, finishing third in the MAAC with a 17-10 conference mark. In 2002, Davis led Georgia Southwestern State University to a National NAIA Ranking of fifth, earning GEORGIA DUGOUT CLUB NAIA Coach of the Year honors.

Hayes (Sunrise, Fla/Piper) was named to the All-MAAC second team. Also the New Jersey College Baseball Association Division I Rookie of the Year, Hayes set a Rider record for hits in a season by a freshman with 71, and leads Rider with a .386 batting average, third highest in the MAAC. Hayes is also fourth in the MAAC in stolen bases (18).

Against MAAC pitchers Hayes batted .424 this year with 39 hits in 26 conference games.

The four-time NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year at Gloucester County College, Davis turned around a Rider team that was 0-11 to start 2006 and won 19 of 23 at one point to reach the .500 mark at 25-25.

Rider competes Thursday night at 7:00 pm in the MAAC Championship tournament against the second seed, Manhattan.

-RU-