July 7, 2006
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Three members from the Navy baseball team have been named to the 2006 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, it was announced by the league office on Friday afternoon. Baseball student-athletes must have earned a varsity letter and posted a 3.20 or higher grade point average in order to be eligible for the list.
For the fourth time in his career, graduated senior Joe Koessler (Knoxville, Tenn.) has earned a spot on the league's academic honor roll. An ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-District II selection this season, the mechanical engineering major recorded a 3.82 grade point average during his final semester in Annapolis. Primarily a reliever for much of his career, Koessler set the program's career appearances record with 68 games pitched. This season, he emerged as a weekend starter during Patriot League play and finished his senior campaign with a 5-3 record and a 4.17 ERA in 49.2 innings with 34 strikeouts.
Fellow graduated senior Ryan Hefner (Creve Coeur, Ill.) was also named to this year's list after recording a 3.63 grade point average during the spring while majoring in political science. After serving as a starter for his first-three years, Hefner flourished in the closer role, as he smashed the program's single-season and career saves records in 2006. Hefner boasted a 4-2 mark with 10 saves and a 1.72 ERA in 36.2 innings during 26 appearances. For his career, the graduated senior racked up 11 wins and 11 saves, while registering a 4.47 ERA in 159.0 innings of work.
Rising sophomore Matt White (Yorba Linda, Calif.) rounds out the Navy baseball contingent on this year's academic honor roll. In his first year on the Yard, White earned a 3.61 grade point average and will major in mechanical engineering in the fall. During his freshman campaign, White made 15 appearances, seven of which were starts, in posting a 1-3 record in 34.1 innings. White was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on March 20, following a 7.1-inning performance against Mount St. Mary's.
Navy Baseball Players on the 2006 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll
Name Class^ Major GPA Hometown
Ryan Hefner Sr. Political Science 3.63 Creve Coeur, Ill.
Joe Koessler Sr. Mechanical Engineering 3.82 Knoxville, Tenn.
Matt White Fr. Mechanical Engineering* 3.61 Yorba Linda, Calif.
^2006 class year
*major for the 2006-07 academic year
