January 16, 2008

STEVE OWENS TO BE HONORED AT THE 43 ANNUAL NEW YORK PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL HOT STOVE LEAGUE 

BROOKLYN, NY - Le Moyne College baseball head coach Steve Owens will be honored at the 43rd Annual New York Professional Baseball Hot Stove League on Friday, January 18th. Owens will receive the Ralph DiLullo Memorial Award in recognition to his service to the national pastime at the collegiate level.

Owens enters his 9th year as head coach at Le Moyne College and his 17th overall.  Currently, Owens ranks 9th in Division I baseball in active winning percentage with over 500 career victories. He has guided the Dolphins to berths in the NCAA tournament three times in the last five seasons.

Steve Owens has led the Dolphins to more victories than any coach in an eight-year period in program history. He has posted a record of 257-146 (.638), including six of LeMoyne's seven 30-win seasons at the Division I level. The Dolphins have qualified for the MAAC tournament in seven of his first eight seasons, winning four regular season titles in the past five years.

A talent for evaluating, projecting and recruiting players combined with his style of player development has led to 21 players signing professional contracts. In each of his eight seasons at Le Moyne, Owens has seen at least one of his players moved on to the professional ranks. Since 2003, 14 players have signed contracts highlighted by five after the 2004 season. On five occasions, two or more players have been drafted in the same year. Entering the 2008 season, seven players are still on active professional rosters.

Le Moyne opens the 2008 campaign on February 22-24 with a four game series at Longwood University.