Sage Athletics

Greensboro, NC – The 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-Region teams and Regional Players of the Year were announced earlier this summer. For the first time ever, Russell Sage College had a player honored with a selection to the Region III Third Team. The teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Division III All-America Committee.

RSC's senior James Lubanski (Port Washington, NY/Paul D. Schreiber) earned the distinction as the first Gator to ever earn a spot on ABCA All-Region squad. The honor comes on the heels of numerous awards for the designated hitter. 

Lubanski, who was also named to the 2023 Empire All-Tournament Team , was also a 2023 Empire 8 Second Team pick as both a designated hitter and a utility player. A newcomer with the Gators this year, he started 42 of 43 games and added a .335 batting average. He also led the team with his school-record 18 doubles and 78 total bases. He had a .503 slugging percentage with a .444 on-base percentage.

For the Empire 8 tournament, he batted .313 with three doubles, four runs scored, and a .500 slugging percentage and was 3-3 on stolen bases with four walks and no errors, defensively.

Only a second-year team, Russell Sage College's baseball team wrapped the 2023 season with new high-water marks for wins as well as producing 10 Empire 8 All-Conference performers. The Gators earned back-to-back appearances in the Empire 8 Tournament under head coach Nick Pontari and capped the 2023 season as the Empire 8 Tournament runner-up with record of 18-25.

NCAA Div. III Region 3 All-Region Third Team

Pos.       Player                                 Cl.          School  State

1B          Timothy Connor               So.         St. Lawrence       NY

1B          Liam Daly                           Fr.          SUNY Purchase  NY

2B          Joe Sanguedolce               Jr.           St. Joseph's (L.I.)              NY

2B          Reid Lapekas                     Jr.           Vassar   NY

SS           Johnny Brucato                Fr.          Mount Saint Vincent       NY

OF          Chris Bonacci                    So.         Cortland State   NY

OF          Jamal Ritter                       Sr.          Old Westbury     NY

OF          Phil Krpata                         Sr.          St. Joseph's (L.I.)              NY

OF          Aaron Whitley                   Sr.          Rochester            NY

OF          Andrew Kanellis                Sr.          Vassar   NY

DH          James Lubanski                 Sr.          Russell Sage       NY

UT          Sean Liquori                       Sr.          SUNY Oneonta   NY

UT          Brendan May                    Sr.          Utica     NY

P             Aidan Risse                        Jr.           Bard       NY

P             Eric Sipling                         Gr.          RIT         NY

P             Mark Aaronson                 So.         Rochester            NY

P             Kooper Knabe                   Fr.          Utica     NY

Region Position Player of the Year: Noah Campanelli, Sr., St. John Fisher

Region Pitcher of the Year: Dylan Beers, So., Cortland State

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