By Dylan Butler
The Floral Park native and former Archbishop Molloy star led the MAAC in several offensive categories, including batting average (.422), runs batted in (57), doubles (19), on base percentage (.536), slugging percentage (.699), runs scored (53), walks (39) and total bases (116). He was also tied for the league lead with nine home runs.He is the first Manhattan player to take home Player of the Year honors since 1997 and the first to be named Rookie of the Year since 2002.Rizzotti's best friend, Nick Derba, another Molloy alum and starting Manhattan College catcher, was named to the first team All-MAAC. The sophomore from College Point threw out 22 attempted base stealers and started all 45 games. Derba hit .274 with a career-high of eight homers and 35 RBI.Another former Molloy standout who has seen his share of collegiate success is Mike Baxter, who just completed his junior year at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.The Whitestone native, who was named team MVP, earned second team All-SEC honors. Baxter, who played shortstop at Molloy but was a first baseman for the Commodores. Baxter, who could be selected anywhere from the fourth to 10th round of the upcoming Major League Draft, hit .377 with an SEC-best 27 stolen bases.He also led Vandy in runs (47), hits (79), doubles (16), triples (3), home runs (9), runs batted in (48), total bases (128), slugging percentage (.607), walks (30) and on base percentage (.468).St. John's, which captured its first Big East regular season title since 1992, won a pair of season ending awards. Ed Blankmeyer was named Big East Coach of the Year for the second time in his 10-year career as Red Storm skipper.He also won the award in 1996, his first season at St. John's.Blankmeyer guided St. John's to the league's regular season title with a 19-4 mark, has guided the program to a 76-35 record over the past two seasons and was named the Northeast Regional Coach of the Year in 2004.Closer Craig Hansen was named Big East Pitcher of the Year, the first St. John's hurler to win the award since C.J. Nitkowski won it in 1994. He was also the last Red Storm player selected in the first round of the Major League Draft, which is where Hansen is expected to be selected next week.The junior closer saved 14 games – which ranks second in the nation – for the Red Storm this season, extending his school record for career saves to 26. He finished the regular season with a 2-2 record and a 1.01 earned run average, which leads the country.Hansen has struck out 72 batters in 53.2 innings of work, while registering an opponent batting average of .148.Joining Hansen on the All-Big East first team were senior catcher Joe Burke, junior pitcher Anthony Varvaro and junior centerfielder Greg Thomson. Senior pitcher Jim Wladyka, senior shortstop P.J. Antoniato and senior third baseman Jim Martin were named to the second team.Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
