Florida Tech Panthers Sports Roundup
By Florida Tech // August 31, 2014
mens golf ended season ranked 14
Men’s Golf Matches Highest Ranking Ever in GCAA Preseason Poll
MENS GOLF — The Florida Tech Panthers ended their 2013-14 season ranked No. 14 in NCAA Division II, the highest ranking in program history.
The Panthers matched that mark this week, as they are tied at No. 14 with Florida Southern in the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Coaches’ Preseason Poll.
The Panthers are coming off a 2013-14 season where they earned two team victories, and qualified for the NCAA South/Southeast Regional. The squad returns six players from last season including GCAA All-American senior Ray Badenhorst.
Barry, the winner of the last two NCAA Division II National Championships, earned the top ranking in the poll along with 16 first-place votes.
Cal State Monterey Bay was ranked No. 2 followed by Nova Southeastern and Chico State. Nova Southeastern and Chico State each earned one of the final two first-place votes.
The Panthers were one of seven teams from the Sunshine State Conference in the poll.
Along with Barry, Nova Southeastern, the Panthers, and Florida Southern, Lynn was selected fifth in the poll. Saint Leo was ranked 24th, and Rollins 25th. The Panthers will open the fall portion of the 2014-15 season on Sept. 22-23 at the Saint Leo Invitational in Dade City, Florida.
Former Panther Pitcher Promoted to Triple-A
BASEBALL — Former Florida Tech pitcher Jonathan Cornelius was promoted to Triple-A Memphis by the St. Louis Cardinals organization last week. The Redbirds are part of the Pacific Coast League. Cornelius had spent the 2014 season with the Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate in Springfield, Missouri.
With the Cardinals in Springfield, Cornelius has seen action in 25 games with 24 starts. He compiled an 11-9 record to go with a 4.00 ERA. Cornelius pitched 144 innings with Springfield. He allowed 64 earned runs, walked just 38 batters, and recorded 98 strikeouts.
Cornelius was a member of the Panthers from 2007-11. He holds the program record for single-season strikeouts (129), career strikeouts (356) and career complete games (12). His 129 strikeouts also tied for the most in NCAA Division II. As a senior, Cornelius went 8-1 with a 2.39 ERA.
The accolades he received as a senior included: Daktronics First Team All-South Region, Capital One Academic All-District, American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-South Region Second Team, First Team All-Sunshine State Conference, and was Florida Tech’s Co-Male Athlete of the Year.
He was also a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award, and was named an All-Star by College Baseball Lineup. Cornelius was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 24th round (740th overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Cornelius made his first start with Memphis this past Saturday.
He took the loss, but pitched 5.1 innings, gave up just two runs, and struck out two.
The Memphis Redbirds have only seven games left in the regular season. The club is in first place in the American Southern Division by one game over the Nashville Sounds. The winner of the division will make the PCL Playoffs.
