Jan. 5, 2011

WASHINGTON - Georgetown University baseball player Erick Fernandez (Hialeah, Fla./Hialeah) was selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, announced today by the league office.

Fernandez, a senior catcher, was one of 16 players league-wide to earn All-BIG EAST honors and one of two catchers, along with Pittsburgh senior Kevan Smith.

Fernandez was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 46th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, but returned to school for his fourth year on the Hilltop.

Fernandez finished the 2010 season batting .317 with five home runs and 29 RBI. As a junior, he hit 13 doubles, had a .483 slugging percentage and a .403 on-base percentage. He started 49 of 51 games behind the plate and ranked second in caught stealing among all catchers in the BIG EAST Conference.

As a sophomore in 2009, he led the team with a .349 batting average, on-base percentage (.426), hits (59) and doubles (16). He was tied for first in slugging percentage (.544) and was second on the team in RBI (28), total bases (92) and walks (21).

Connecticut received nine first place votes and 117 points total to earn the top spot in the BIG EAST Coaches' poll, while St. John's received two first place votes and 107 points and was picked second. Louisville was selected third (one first place vote, 105 points), while South Florida was picked fourth and Pittsburgh fifth. Georgetown was selected to finish in 12th place.

Georgetown opens the 2011 season on Feb. 18-19 with a pair of games at Davidson.