ELON, N.C. -- Changing Faces: Phoenix head coach Mike Kennedy announced the promotion of Robbie Huffstetler to assistant coach. The previous two season Coach Huffstetler served as the volunteer assistant. “We are excited to have Robbie join our staff in a full-time capacity” said Kennedy. “Robbie has done a terrific job here and deserves this opportunity. This is a great addition to our program and we are looking forward to the fall season.” Huffstetler replaces Austin Alexander (Impact Baseball) and will work with the Phoenix outfielders and assist with the hitters. Assistant coach Greg Starbuck will take over as the Phoenix recruiting coordinator and work with the hitters and infielders. Kennedy will resume responsibilities of the pitching staff. Kennedy worked with the Phoenix pitching staff for seven seasons as a head coach.

Season: Phoenix players begin arriving on campus August 26th as freshmen orientation inches closer. The 2005/2006 edition of Elon baseball adds eight newcomers along with 28 returnees from last seasons 32-25 squad. The Phoenix coaching staff is excited about the upcoming fall season and getting underway! “Like all programs across the country, we are excited about getting started with fall practice,” he said. “One of our strengths, we believe, is experience. The core of last seasons’ ball club returns as six position player starters return along with three starting pitchers. This is a veteran club both offensively and defensively and we hope that our fall workouts will reflect that.” Classes begin August 30 with team conditioning starting on August 31. Individual workouts will begin the following week. The team begins fall practice on October 8th and concludes on November 6 with the annual Phoenix Fall Classic (Intersquad World Series), a three-game finale to wrap up the fall season.

Summer Ball: The majority of Phoenix players spent June and July playing in various collegiate summer leagues. Some of the summer highlights included Paul Bennett (Great Lakes League All-Star) who hit .298, scored 23 runs while stealing 14 bags. Kevin Regan (6-2, 2.90 ERA, 68 K in 59 IP) set a league record for appearances with 39 while playing for the Mankato Moondogs of the Northwoods league. Newcomers Ryan Addison (.267, 5 2B, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 14 R, 9 SB) and Robert Rodebaugh (.279, 7 2B, 5 HR, 22 RBI) had successful stops in Mankato as well. Adam Weaver (CPL, .265, 7 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBI, 25 R, 8 SB) and Austin Boehme (over .300, 17 SB, in Mountain Collegiate League) had good summers as well. Ryan Radford (.299, 7 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBI), Stuart Bost (.269, 7 R, 8 RBI) and Justin Bors (3-1, 4.09 24 K, 19 IP) put up solid numbers in the Southern Collegiate League. Bors, John Walker, and Matt Hill helped lead the Kernersville Bulldogs to the Southern Collegiate League championship.

Alumni Update: Brian Hensen (2004) of the Lakeland Tigers in the Florida State League has posted a 2-1 mark and a 3.84 ERA in 61 innings spanning 42 appearances. Evan Tartaglia (2004) is playing for the Great Falls White Sox in the Pioneer League. The centerfielder is hitting .291 with 7 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 32 runs scored and has swiped 26 bases.…Jason Tuttle with the Elmira Pioneers of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Independent) (2002) is hitting at a .302 clip with 6 2B, 44 runs, and is fifth in the league with 25 stolen bases.

On Deck: Elon’s All-Skills camp is set for November 26-27, last year 130 players from 19 states were represented at camp…This camp provides a great opportunity for players to play in front of 20 to 25 college coaches (staff) from the Southeastern United States. The annual Phoenix Hitting Camp will again be held in mid-January, exact dates are still to be determined.

-- ELON --