Brigando, Luebcke Named Division III Players to Watch by Collegiate Baseball News

TUCSON, Ariz. — St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Brigando (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) and infielder/pitcher Brian Luebcke (Astoria, NY/Monsignor McClancy) were named among NCAA Division III Players to Watch for in 2016 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in their January 2016 College Preview edition.

Brigando highlighted an outstanding 8-1 sophomore campaign on the mound collecting Association of Division III Independents Pitcher of the Year honors and was named a United States Collegiate Athletic Association All-American honorable mention. The junior compiled a 2.44 earned run average along with 39 strikeouts over 51.2 innings pitched with four complete games and one shutout.

Luebcke was named to the AD3I All-Independent first team for the second time batting .370 last season as a junior with 24 runs and 21 RBI. The versatile utility player who played in 35 games also made eight appearances on the mound, starting in six, and compiled a 4-2 record with a 3.69 earned run average. He surrendered only three walks over 39 innings pitched, while striking out 32.

The Bears finished a fairy tale 2015 season, their final season as an independent, with a fourth place finish at the USCAA Small College World Series, ending at 24-18—their third straight 20-win campaign.

Brigando and Luebcke will lead St. Joseph's into their inaugural Skyline Conference season—with an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships on the line—opening at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational from February 16-19.