June 13, 2001

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - University of Virginia baseball players Jon Benick (Glen Lyon, Pa./Greater Naticoke) and Brandon Creswell (Newport News, Va./Menchville) were selected to the 2001 Division I All-State Baseball team chosen by the Virginia College Sports Information Directors (VaSID). Benick was named to the team as a designated hitter while Creswell made the squad as a pitcher.

Benick, a fourth-year infielder, started 52 of the 55 games he appeared in for the Cavaliers during the 2001 season. For the year, he batted .297 with 209 at-bats and recorded 62 hits, 57 RBI and 37 runs. Benick posted 18 home runs, 14 doubles and had a .622 slugging percentage. He gathered 88 putouts, 46 assists and posted a .937 fielding percentage. Benick was also a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts. Benick's RBI, home runs and slugging percentage totals were team-highs.

Benick finished his career ranked as one of the top players in several career statistical categories at UVa. He finished second all-time at Virginia in home runs (35), third all-time in RBI (162), fifth all-time in at-bats (700), fifth all-time in total bases (372), sixth all-time in doubles (45), sixth all-time in slugging percentage (.549), seventh all-time in hits (220) and tenth all-time in games played (185). Benick also holds the Virginia single season record for the most hits with 88 in 1999. He was named a First Team All-ACC selection in 2000, a Second Team All-ACC pick in 1999 and made the 2000 ACC All-Tournament team. Benick was selected as the 270th pick overall in the ninth round by the San Diego Padres in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft.

Creswell, a fourth-year left-handed pitcher, started all 14 games he appeared in during the 2001 season. He finished the year with a 7-4 record and posted a 3.42 ERA. Creswell pitched a team-high 100.0 innings and led UVa with a team-high 75 strikeouts. He pitched four complete games and recorded one shutout when he paced Virginia to a 5-0 victory over the #3 ranked Miami Hurricanes on April 27, 2001 in Coral Gables, Fla. He held opposing batters to a .288 batting average for the season. Creswell's seven wins and four complete games were also team-highs.

Creswell was named a 2001 First Team All-ACC selection and was twice named the ACC Pitcher of the Week (April 2 and April 16). He was also named the ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week after sharing the honor on April 30th. Creswell finished his UVa career as Virginia's all-time leader in innings pitched (345.1) and games started (49). He also finished third all-time at UVa in appearances (70), strikeouts (261) and wins (20) and tied former Cavalier Seth Greisinger (1996) for the Virginia single season record for most games started in a season with 16 in 2000.

Benick and Creswell paced the Cavaliers to a 25-31 record overall, 9-15 in the ACC. Virginia went 1-2 in the ACC Tournament.

- UVa -