Riverland Community College baseball players received national recognition for their athletic play during the 2009 season including the All-American and the Rawlings's Golden Glove awards.
For the All-American award, there are three teams (first through third). Nine players in the nation are selected for each All-American team with only 27 U.S. athletes receiving this honor. For consideration for All-American, a player must first be named All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region. Once a player achieves All-Conference, All-State, and All-Region, coaches can then nominate their players to be considered for the All-American Award. Along with the nomination, the coach sends the player's biography, statistics, and photographs. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) names All-American players from the coach nomination.
Two Riverland athletes received the All-American Award for the 2009 season. Kyle Starky, sophomore from Rapid City, S.D. received First Team All-American and Brandon Huhn, sophomore from Appleton West, Wis., received Third Team All-American.
Starky is the first student athlete in Riverland baseball history to receive the First Team All-American. In 1998, Riverland player Dave Burkholder received a Second Team All-American Award.
The Rawlings Golden Glove Award began 52 years ago when Rawlings, a company that manufactures sports equipment, realized that over half of the professional baseball players at that time were using Rawlings gloves. Rawlings then decided to create an award that recognized defensive excellence and awarded players for superior individual fielding.
Zach Vlietstra, a sophomore from Rapid City, S.D., received the Rawlings Golden Glove Award for his performance in the 2009 season. Vliestra was one of nine athletes in the nation to receive this award for NJCAA Division III.
"Although, these athletes are being recognized for the individual successes, a lot of their performances were possible because of the team's success as whole," said Scott Koenigs, Riverland baseball coach. "Going to the World Series and getting that team visibility played a big part."
Riverland Community College is a member of the Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIII. Eligibility requirements are established by the NJCAA and the MCAC. The Riverland athletics program includes men's basketball and baseball and women's volleyball, basketball and softball. Riverland recently announced the addition of a competitive team in men's soccer in 2009.
