Christopher Judd and Elizabeth Thomas, News Correspondents
Two days after they played their final game of the season, three Northeastern baseball players were recognized by the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for their stellar performances in 2012.
Junior catcher John Leroux, freshman second baseman Jason Vosler and sophomore right fielder Aaron Barbosa were selected to 2012 All-CAA baseball teams, the conference announced at its annual banquet May 22.
Leroux was named to the All-CAA First Team while Barbosa and Vosler made the Second and Third teams, respectively. Vosler was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team and awarded CAA Rookie of the Year, marking the second consecutive year that the honor has been given to a Northeastern player. Barbosa was named Rookie of the Year in 2011.
“I think it’s really a nod to the coaching staff for making us work hard since we got here and how they developed us as players,” Vosler said of the recognition. “We owe them everything.”
The team also announced Wednesday that Vosler, a native of West Nyack, N.Y., was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine.
Vosler ended the season with a .312 batting average, led Northeastern in doubles with 15 and was second on the team in hits with 62. His batting average never dipped below .300 from February onward, and the rookie contributed defensively by playing three different infield positions — second base, third base and shortstop — throughout the season.
“I didn’t at all expect to win this award. I didn’t even think about it,” Vosler said. “I thought there was somebody that had to be doing better than me.”
Leroux had had 12 home runs and a .647 slugging percentage in 2012, which led Northeastern and was second in the CAA. He also had 50 RBIs, which was third in the CAA, and finished the season in strong fashion, batting .408 and driving in 26 runs in May.
The New York Mets selected Leroux in the 32nd round of the 2012 MLB Draft Wednesday.
Barbosa followed his stand-out 2011 campaign with another huge season, in which he had a school-record 76 hits, snapping the previous record of 74 set by Mike Tamsin in 2009. Barbosa also led the team with a .352 batting average, good for 10th in the CAA, and 14 steals.
All three players will appear in the 2012 New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-Star Game in Lowell on Sunday, and each will return to Northeastern next season.
“It’s a good sign when three or four players appear in any all-star game, especially when they are returning,” head coach Neil McPhee said. “This is the first step towards growing because of the added resources that the [athletic] department has given to us. I think we can compete for winning the CAA next year.”
Vosler said the team is already eager to play next season.
“Next year we should be very good and definitely make the playoffs, if not win [the CAA Tournament],” Vosler said. “It should be a really exciting season that I know we are all looking forward to.”
