URI Coach Raphael Cerrato and Pitcher Tyler Wilson Named Best in A-10 for Second Straight Year

URI news release…

KINGSTON, R.I. – For the second year in a row, Rhode Island has won two of the Atlantic 10’s four major awards as Tyler Wilson and Raphael Cerrato repeated as A-10 Pitcher and Coach of the year, respectively. Wilson also earned First-Team All-Conference accolades, while sophomore Jordan Powell and redshirt sophomore Chris Hess were named to the All-Conference Second Team.

In just his second season as head coach of his alma mater, Cerrato guided the Rams to an Atlantic 10 regular-season title with an 18-6 mark in league play. While Rhody won a share of the regular-season crown in 2013 – with Cerrato as an assistant coach – this marks the first time since 2006 that the Rams finish the regular season alone atop the conference standings.

The Rams won seven of their eight Atlantic 10 series this season, including three-game sweeps of St. Bonaventure, Dayton and La Salle. URI also took two of three from defending champion VCU, Saint Joseph’s and George Mason.

Cerrato is the A-10’s first head coach to be voted Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons since former Rhody coach Frank Leoni received the conference’s top honor in both 2003 and 2004.

Wilson becomes the first player in the history of the Atlantic 10 Conference to earn back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards as a freshman and sophomore. The Palmer, Mass. native – who finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play – went 11-1 overall to tie for the second-most wins among all NCAA Division I pitchers. He also ranks third nationally in both WHIP (0.79) and hits allowed per nine innings (4.53).

A five-time Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week and two-time New England (NEIBA) Pitcher of the Week, Wilson also earned Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week accolades on May 16, following a streak of 14.1 consecutive no-hit innings. 

In Atlantic 10 games alone, he posted a minuscule 0.58 ERA with a .106 opposing average over 62.0 innings pitched. His 71 strikeouts against A-10 competition is more than double the combined total of his hits allowed (22) and walks issued (13) during the course of his eight league appearances.

The sophomore southpaw is actively rewriting the Rhode Island record book as he set a new single-season record in wins (11) and, with 107 to date, became just the second player in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in a single season.

Hess – the reigning Atlantic 10, NEIBA and National Player of the Week – wrapped up the regular season leading the country in triples, with 10. In doing so, he became Rhode Island’s single-season leader as well as the first A-10 player since 2007 to hit 10 or more. 

The only Ram to play in start in each of URI’s 52 games so far, Hess leads the team in runs scored (50), homers (6) and slugging percentage (.512) and ranks second in stolen bases (8) and RBI (35). Defensively, he has helped Rhody turn 27 doubles plays while setting a new single-game record with 11 assists in a win over Dayton.

Powell – a Kingwood, Texas product – picked up where he left off after being named to last season’s A-10 All-Championship team. This year, the sophomore center fielder leads the team with a .349 batting average, 66 hits and 12 stolen bases. Additionally, he reached base in 25 consecutive games – including a 15-game hit streak. Defensively, he has committed just one error in 131 total chances.

The top-seeded Rams will be back in action on Thursday afternoon at the Atlantic 10 Championship. With a first-round bye as the #1 seed, Rhody will take on the winner of Wednesday’s game between #4 Saint Louis and #5 Fordham. All games will be played at Houlihan Park in Bronx, N.Y., and streamed live on the Atlantic 10 Network. Additionally, Friday’s semifinal games and Saturday’s championship contest will be televised live on the American Sports Network (ASN).