WINCHESTER — Shenandoah University head baseball coach Kevin Anderson announced the leadership group for his 2021 squad Monday morning.
A total of 17 players have been elected to the leadership group with senior Keegan Woolford named as the team captain for the 2021 season.
Junior catcher/first baseman Ty Bennett, senior pitcher CJ Morton and senior outfielder Grant Thompson will assist Woolford as alternate captains while the remaining 13 men round out the leadership structure as class representatives.
Pandemic-related eligibility changes are reflected in the leadership group as the freshman class features three representatives from the group entering in the fall of 2019 and three from the group entering this fall. These players are Anderson’s son and utility player Kooper (Mountain View Christian Academy graduate), pitcher Jacob Faivre, infielder Jackson Foreman, outfielder Gavin Horning, infielder Connor Houser, and catcher/first baseman Wayne Romero.
The seniors and juniors have two each and the sophomores three to complete that part of the leadership structure. These players are pitchers Joel Smith (James Wood graduate) and Steven Baker (seniors); outfielder Henry Delavergne and catcher Matt Moon (juniors); and third baseman Pearce Bucher (Sherando graduate) and pitchers Matt Barnes and Carson Kulina (sophomores).
Woolford, a Charlottesville native, is now a two-year captain. In three seasons at SU, he has played in 106 games with 138 hits, 40 doubles, 29 home runs and 143 RBI in 403 at-bats. A career .342 hitter, Woolford is one home run away from the all-time record at SU and 51 from the top spot on the RBI list.
“The players have selected a fine group of seasoned veterans and newcomers to lead the program on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” said Kevin Anderson in a news release.
— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki