June 12, 2008

BOCA RATON, FL - Florida Atlantic University's baseball upperclassmen Nick Arata and Mike McKenna both recently were honored by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).

McKenna, the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, was named a second team All-America outfielder. The senior from Staten Island, New York, has already been named an All-American by both Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. McKenna hit .394 with 16 home runs and 75 RBI in 60 games. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on Friday, June 6.

Arata also was selected in last week's draft, a 28th round pick by the Washington Nationals. The junior from Davie and Nova High School had a break-out junior season, earning All-Sun Belt Conference honors as the league's second-team shortstop. Arata was a second team honoree on ABCA's list of All-South Central Region players. Arata eclipsed season-high marks in virtually every statistical category as a junior in 2008, batting .365 with 81 hits, 11 doubles and 13 homers.

Click Here to view the 2008 ABCA All-America teams.
Click Here to view the 2008 ABCA All-South Central Region teams.