Stalker Earns Third Team All-America Honors from D3Baseball.com

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior first baseman Kyle Stalker (Bellevue, WA/Sammamish HS) has been named Third Team All-America by D3Baseball.com for his efforts during the 2009 season. Stalker led the Bearcats with a .455 batting average, smacked a team-high 15 home runs and topped the WU lineup with 52 RBIs.

A total of 70 players were honored by D3Baseball.com. Sixteen athletes were named to the First Team, with 17 on the Second Team, 17 on the Third Team and 20 on the Honorable Mention list.

Earlier this spring, Stalker who chosen First Team All-Northwest Conference for the second consecutive year. He also was selected Second Team All-West Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). He was named First Team All-West Region and Third Team All-America by the ABCA in 2008.

In four years at Willamette, Stalker played in 126 games with 122 starts. He achieved a career batting average of .339 with 150 hits in 443 at bats.

Stalker set career records for the Bearcats by blasting 51 home runs, registering 161 RBIs and pounding out a .772 career slugging percentage. He walked 74 times and scored 106 runs. On defense, he achieved a .990 career fielding percentage with 555 putouts, 38 assists and just six errors.

This year, he led the Northwest Conference with his .455 average and 15 homers. He connected for 45 hits in 99 at bats and walked 26 times. He earned an impressive .960 slugging percentage and finished the season with a .556 on-base percentage. He was solid on defense, as he provided 191 putouts and 16 assists with two errors for a .990 fielding percentage. His batting average and slugging percentage set WU single season records.

Stalker helped Willamette attain a 21-17 overall record this spring, including 18-13 (4th place) in the NWC. WU ranked sixth in NCAA Division III with 1.39 home runs per game. The Bearcats earned a .313 team batting average, while hitting 53 home runs and scoring 7.39 runs per game.

Stalker also had an outstanding season as a junior in 2008. He set school records with 22 home runs and 63 RBIs. He hit .361 and saw action in 39 of 40 games. He batted .382 with runners in scoring position and led WU with 27 walks. He earned a .469 on-base percentage and scored 44 runs. On defense, he achieved a .991 fielding percentage and was involved in 35 of Willamette's 38 double plays.

In 2008, Stalker ranked first in NCAA Division III with 0.56 home runs per game and finished second with 1.62 RBIs per game. In 2009, he finished second in Division III with his .960 slugging percentage and was third with 0.45 home runs per game. He also ranked 10th in the nation with 1.58 RBIs per game.

Kyle Stalker on Willamette's All-Time
Baseball Top 10 Lists

Single Season Offense
Batting Average, .455, 1st (2009)
Home Runs, 22, 1st (2008); 15, 2nd (2009)
RBIs, 63, 1st (2008); 52, 3rd (2009)
Slugging Percentage, .960, 1st (2009)
Runs Scored, 38, 8th tie (2009)
Walks, 27, 8th tie (2008)

Single Season Defense
Putouts, 319, 5th (2008)

Career Offense
Home Runs, 51, 1st (2006-09)
RBIs, 161, 1st (2006-09)
Slugging Percentage, .722, 1st (2006-09)
Runs Scored, 106, 6th (2006-09)
Walks, 74, 7th (2006-09)
Batting Average, .339, 8th (2006-09)
Hits, 150, 9th tie (2006-09)

Career Fielding
Putouts, 555, 7th (2006-09)