HOBOKEN, N.J. (July 3, 2019)  – Fifteen returning student-athletes from the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team have been honing their skills in various summer leagues around the country, highlighted by four Ducks who have signed on to play in some of the top summer collegiate circuits.

Rising senior Chandler Brierley pitched briefly for the Cape Cod League's Harwich Mariners before moving to the New York Phenoms of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League (ACBL) and then making a final stop with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the Northwoods League. Meanwhile rising junior infielder Thomas Paulich also spent time in Northwoods with the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders. Rising junior Alex Smith is also taking to the mound in the ACBL for the Ocean Ospreys and rising junior Eli Zuckerman has been competing for the Delray Beach Lightning of the South Florida Collegiate League (SFCBL).
 
In years past, Stevens has sent several of its student-athletes to some of the top professional development leagues in the country including the Cape Cod League, Northwoods League, Coastal Plain League, Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL), Texas Collegiate League, SFCBL, New York Collegiate Baseball League, and the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. 

"Summer baseball is such an important part of our program's culture" said head baseball coach Kristaps Aldins. "In addition to our four most notable summer collegiate league placements, we are equally excited that several of our student-athletes and alumni will be competing together in leagues all around the country, such as the nearby New Jersey-based Metropolitan League. The innings and at-bats that our student-athletes receive playing for these teams, as well as the camaraderie that they develop during this summer environment has proven, over time, to be a key element to our team's success and overall chemistry."

Stevens completed the 2018-2019 campaign with a 13-5 record in the Empire 8 and finished second. At the season's conclusion, six Ducks received All-Conference recognition. The Ducks also excelled off-the-field, posting a 3.577 team GPA in the Spring 2019 semester and currently maintain a 3.559 cumulative team-GPA. Both of these GPA's are new all-time-highs. 

The 2018-19 campaign was also highlighted by 2019 Stevens alumnus Charlie Ruegger's advancement within the New York Yankees organization. The Morris Plains, New Jersey native is currently pitching for the Charleston RiverDogs of the Class A South Atlantic League. Earlier this summer Ruegger put up excellent numbers for the nearby Staten Island Yankees who compete in the Short Season Class A New York Penn League.

Another major highlight was Robert Robbins, a 2016 alumnus, who signed a professional contract with the Chicago Cubs organization in February after a pair of stints at the Driveline Baseball in Kent, Washington. Robbins' signing made the right-handed pitcher the third affiliated signee in program history. Both Ruegger and Robbins played competitive summer baseball over their time in Hoboken with the Ducks. Ruegger spent time for the Forest City Owls in Coastal Plain as well as the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of Northwoods. Meanwhile, Robbins competed for the Pompano Beach Clippers of the SFCBL, the Newark Pilots of the PGCBL and Forest City.

Complete List of 2019 Stevens Baseball Summer Placements:

Player Name	Grad. Year	Team	League
Tyler Armstrong	2021	Saugus Wings	North Shore Baseball League
Chandler Brierley	2020	Harwich Mariners New York Phenoms Wisconsin Rapids Rafters	Cape Cod League Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League Northwoods League
Hunter Counton	2022	Bandits	Metro League
Sutton Dole	2022	Colt 45's	Houston Collegiate Summer League
A.J. Falconite	2020	Felician Falcons	United States Amateur Baseball League
Mike Faria	2022	Bergen Mets	Metropolitan League
Roy Iversen	2021	Joliet Dirtbags	Chicago Suburban Baseball League
Tom James	2022	West Coast Clippers	Western Baseball Association
Ben Lesher	2022	Jays	West Chester Adult Baseball League
Brett Mendez	2022	New Jersey Nationals	Metropolitan Collegiate Baseball League
Thomas Paulich	2021	Fond du Lac Dock Spiders	Northwoods League
Chris Silos	2022	North Jersey Eagles	Metropolitan Collegiate Baseball League
Alex Smith	2021	Ocean Ospreys	Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League
Ryan Wall	2022	Long Island Sound	Blue Chip Collegiate Baseball League
Eli Zuckerman	2021	Delray Beach Lightning	South Florida Collegiate Baseball League

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics
#AllRise