Academy of Art University announces ART U Baseball Announces 2023 Captains
From February 4, 2023 post.
SAN FRANCISCO – In preparation for their first series of the year, Academy of Art baseball has announced its two captains for the 2023 campaign as graduate student pitcher Cannon Secrist and redshirt junior catcher/first baseman Liam Rizzo were announced as the captains of the Urban Knights squad. With the input of their teammates and the coaching staff, these two student-athletes were chosen based upon their leadership qualities, attitude, knowledge and experience.
"Cannon and Liam are ideal examples of what we try to build in our program," said ART U Head Coach Dan McDermott. "They are both outstanding students, fierce competitors on and off the field, and always strive to do things the 'right way.' They have the respect of their teammates and are not afraid to hold everyone, including the coaches, accountable for their actions."
Secrist has been a dominant force on the mound since joining the Urban Knights as junior just prior to the 2020 season, posting a 7-11 record with a 4.71 ERA over 146.2 innings pitched in 27 total appearances with the ERA currently the second-best in ART U history, the seven wins are tied for fourth-most, and the innings pitched are currently ninth-most. In his time the St. George, Utah native has punched out a total of 154 batters, which is already the third-most strikeouts in an ART U career with the potential to take over the top spot should he fan another 43 batters this season.
His first full ART U campaign last year (due to pandemic and injury) was one for the books, as Secrist logged a 5-8 record and one save with a 5.04 ERA and 102 strikeouts in just 96.1 innings pitched (20 total appearances). The 102 strikeouts set a new single-season ART U record while his 14 games started and seven complete games both tied ART U program records. Additionally, his five victories were tied for the fourth-most in a single ART U season, the 20 appearances were tied for ninth-most, the innings pitched were tied for second-most, and his 2.43 walks per nine innings pitched was the fourth-lowest in a season.
Rizzo has been a consistent threat at the plate for the Urban Knights since joining ART U in 2021, batting .247 (42-for-170) over 57 total games played with 20 runs scored, eight doubles, two home runs and 30 RBI (includes first game of this season). Showing his clutch hitting ability, seven of those 30 RBI came via the sacrifice fly, which is already the most in an ART U career. In both his 2021 and 2022 campaigns the Oakland, Calif. native has hit above the .250 mark, slugged above .330, and had an on-base percentage above .300.
The 2022 season was Rizzo's best with ART U, batting .252 (32-for-127) with 14 runs scored and 28 RBI, which is tied for the fourth-most runs driven in for a single season. Additionally, he smacked five of his eight doubles in 2022 along with mashing both his career homers and all seven of his sacrifice flies, while also drawing nine walks and being hit by a pitch three times.
"These two players join a select group of young men who have been chosen as captains of the Urban Knights over the last 10 seasons," McDermott said. "They join such greats as [ART U '15 and current pitching coach] Nate Gercken, Joseph Marchini, [ART U '19 and current hitting coach] Elijah Smith, Josh Carlin, Ryan Gamboa, Erick Luna, Izac Bauer and Tyler Strawn as players who have been selected for the prestigious honor and responsibility."
Original source can be found here.