STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (May 10, 2003) - Senior Mike DeRenzo (Murrysville, Pa.) became Penn State's first-ever three-time Shorty Stoner Award winner with his achievements off the field it was announced at the baseball team's awards banquet Friday evening.

The Shorty Stoner Award recognizes outstanding academic achievement. DeRenzo, who was a Verizon Academic All-American in 2001 and 2002, received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Computer Engineering with a 3.79 GPA on Friday. He was recently named to the Verizon All-District II first-team and will be on the national ballot for a chance at becoming a three-time Verizon Academic All-American.

Senior Wes Reohr (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) received the F. Joseph Bedenk Award as the team's most valuable member. Reohr broke out in 2002 as a leader on the Nittany Lion squad, but he has taken his game to another level this year. He leads the team in seven different categories. He is hitting .331 with 10 home runs, 36 RBI, 14 doubles and 35 runs scored. His 10 homers and 14 doubles lead the team and are career highs.

Senior Willie Melendez (Cayey, P.R.) took home the Ed Drapcho Award as the team's most improved player from a year ago. Melendez is enjoying a career year with a .301 average, 24 runs scored, 11 doubles and 10 RBI. He also has stolen six bases and has improved his fielding percentage at shortstop to .942.

Junior Jim Farrell (Harleysville, Pa.), who picked up a win in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader versus Illinois, received the Charles Medlar Award as the team's outstanding pitcher. Farrell leads the team with six wins, 13 appearances, two complete games and 49 strikeouts in 58.1 innings pitched in his first season in the program after transferring from Otero Junior College in Colorado.