Baseball's Howard, Matienzo Earn All-America Honors

June 8, 2000

Coral Gables, FL (www.hurricanesports.com) – Hurricane third baseman Kevin Howard was named a 2000 Collegiate Baseball Co-Freshman of the Year, along with Baylor reliever Zane Carlson and LSU second baseman Mike Fontenot.

Additionally, Howard and UM first baseman/designated hitter Danny Matienzo were also selected to the 2000 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America team, while pitcher Kiki Bengochea was named Honorable Mention.

Howard, who was also picked the ESPN/Baseball Weekly Freshman All-American Team, led the team in batting average (.413), hits (90), doubles (22) and total bases (128). Out of Thousand Oaks, CA/West Lake HS, Howard was voted the team’s MVP, Rookie of the Year and Most Popular by the UM fans. He established new freshman season records in doubles (22), consecutive times on base (14) and new single-game records in at bats (9, twice), runs scored (5), doubles (3), home runs (2), total bases (11) and RBI (7).

Matienzo, a graduate of Miami’s Christopher Columbus School, placed third on the team in batting average (.348), hits (72), home runs (9) and total bases (110), while placing second in RBI (58). He was named the 2000 Coral Gables Regional Most Outstanding Performer after totaling six RBI off a grand slam and a double in the championship victory, 14-4, over nearby Florida International.

Bengochea, also a graduate of Columbus, earned Honorable Mention honors from Louisville Slugger after finishing his rookie season with a 5-5 record as the No. 3 starter for the Hurricanes. Additionally, Bengochea was one of the first college players to be selected to the Team USA National Team tryouts this summer.