March 27, 2003

Contact: Heather Buffington, Fleishman

(314) 982-0291 e-mail: buffingh@fleishman.com

Bob McComas, Slippery Rock University

(724) 738-2777 e-mail: robert.mccomas@sru.edu

STORY IDEA: Student-athlete features for March Madness

Slippery Rock University student-athletes Louis Jamison and Ella Reilly

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- March Madness is really just the tip of the iceberg for college sports championships this spring, and under the surface are many great stories of
student-athletes who personify what intercollegiate athletics is really all about.  What makes NCAA sports so special, and so different from the pros, is that these great athletes are students. 

During the tournament, you'll notice a new advertising campaign by the NCAA featuring
the student athletes that you may not hear about everyday, but truly exemplify the spirit of collegiate athletics. In your own backyard, there are countless athletes who give everything they have to excel in both the classroom and on the playing field that you seldom hear about. We'd like to introduce you to two student-athletes in your area who are excelling in the classroom and in their sport, and learning lessons for life.

They truly exemplify what it means to be a student athlete.

Slippery Rock University's football team has one such player – Louis Jamison.  Louis, a junior defensive tackle, carries a 3.65 GPA as a health and physical education major with a sports management concentration.  He has served as the vice president of the university's Student Government Association and also gives tours to potential students through the SRU Minority Affairs and Orientation offices.  In addition, he volunteers his
time at a local Boys and Girls Club.

SRU's women's tennis team also has a standout:  Ella Reilly, a junior majoring in sports management, earns top scores on and off the court as well.  She and her doubles partner (Kelly Anderson) won the East Regional championship last fall, and last spring she was named one of the "Spring Top Ten" athletes by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.  Ella has a perfect 4.0 GPA - her department's faculty designated her as the top student for the 2001-2002 school year.  Originally from Sydney, Australia, Ella is
also a member of Student Athlete Advisory Council.  

We hope that you would consider profiling Louis or Ella, both incredible
examples of what it really means to be a student athlete. 

To schedule an interview with Louis and/or Ella, please contact Bob McComas, Slippery Rock University’s Director of Sports Promotion & Information, at

(724) 738-2777 or E-mail him at robert.mccomas@sru.edu.

Thank you for your consideration of these feature story ideas.

# ROCK PRIDE #

March 28, 2003

Contact: Bob McComas (724) 738-2777 e-mail: robert.mccomas@sru.edu

ROCK HARDBALLERS ROLL PAST PITT-JOHNSTOWN

            JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The nationally ranked Slippery Rock University baseball rolled to a pair of victories Friday as it steamrolled NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional rival Pitt-Johnstown, 19-6 and 10-1.

           With the wins, The Rock improved its season record to 16-5 and extended its current win streak to seven games. UPJ fell to 10-8.

           The Rock, after falling behind by a 6-2 margin after two innings, scored 17 unanswered runs in the first game.

           The Rock established season-high totals for both runs scored and hits in the game as it finished with 21 hits.

           Four Rock players had four hits each in the game, led by senior center fielder Joe Neidrick (Osceola Mills/Phillipsburg-Osceola HS), who was 4-for-6 with five RBIs and two runs scored.

           Senior catcher Luke Mollis (Charleroi/Charleroi HS) was 4-for-5 and had four RBIs, while senior second baseman Alan Reichl (Pittsburgh/Montour HS) and sophomore designated hitter Joe Pascarella (New Castle/Neshannock HS) were both 4-for-6 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

           Junior left fielder Ben Marzullo (Brookville/Brookville HS) had a triple and home run and picked up two RBIs. The home run was a solo shot, his third in as many games and fifth of the season.

           Senior southpaw George Johnson (Robinson Township/Carlynton HS) picked up the win and evened his record at 2-2 as he allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, struck out four and walked three in four innings. Senior right-hander Kevin Dvorchak (Smock/Uniontown HS) allowed five hits and struck out one in the final three frames to pick up his second save of the season.

           The Rock pounded out 13 hits in the second game, led by junior third baseman Chase Rowe (Saxonburg/Knoch HS), who was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Reichl was 2-for-4 with three RBIs while sophomore first baseman Matt Kozusko (Latrobe/Greater Latrobe HS) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Dvorchak was 2-for-3 as The Rock’s starting left fielder.

           Sophomore right-hander John Katich (Deer Lakes/Deer Lakes HS) improved his pitching record to 3-1 as he allowed one earned run on five hits, struck out seven and walked one in six innings. Sophomore right-hander Brian Babik (Johnstown/Johnstown HS) pitched the final inning.

The Rock returns to action Saturday when it will host Edinboro University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division doubleheader at Jack Critchfield Park. The first game is set to start at 1 p.m.

# ROCK PRIDE #