June 7, 2008

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Fordham senior righthander Tom Davis, the 2008 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, was among eleven student-athletes from the Conference selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, held June 5-6. Six A-10 schools had at least one player taken in the two-day, 50-round draft, with Charlotte leading the way with four selections.

Davis led the A-10 in wins (nine) and earned run average (1.90) while registering 62 strikeouts in a career-best 90.0 innings pitched. A second-team All-Conference selection in 2007, he yielded just 79 hits and 28 walks while holding opposing hitters to a .235 average. A native of Madison, Conn., Davis won seven games in A-10 play this past season and ended his career as the program's all-time leader in starts (50) and innings pitched (339.0).

Xavier's Charlie Leesman was the first A-10 player selected, with the Chicago White Sox taking the junior lefthander in the 11th round. He is the highest XU standout selected since Richard Donnelly, who was taken in ninth round (158th overall) of the 1967 draft.

Over the past three years, 36 student-athletes from the Atlantic 10 have been selected in the MLB Draft.

Round (Overall Selection) - Name, School - Class, Position - Team
11 (330) - Charlie Leesman, Xavier - Jr., LHP - Chicago White Sox
16 (495) - Tom Davis, Fordham - Sr., RHP - San Diego Padres
19 (584) - Zack Rosenbaum, Charlotte - Jr., RHP - New York Mets
21 (637) - Dave Sever, Saint Louis - Jr., RHP - Los Angeles Dodgers
24 (730) - Shayne Moody, Charlotte - Sr., SS - Atlanta Braves
25 (759) - Brad McElroy, Charlotte - Sr., OF - Toronto Blue Jays
30 (922) - Alex Hale, Richmond - Sr., RHP - Boston Red Sox
41 (1236) - Pat Lehman, George Washington - Jr, RHP - Minnesota Twins
45 (1354) - Chris Taylor, Charlotte - Sr, C - St. Louis Cardinals
47 (1404) - Dan Hayden, Xavier - Sr., C - Chicago White Sox
48 (1442) - Casey Moore, Saint Louis - Sr., C - Detroit Tigers