DALLAS (NCBWA) – A hot week in sunny southern California for Michael Cassese of Rutgers University-Newark and no-hit hurling by Paul Uhl of Thomas More College and Billy Schmitt of Wartburg College have earned the trio the NCAA Division III National Hitter and Co-Pitchers of the Week awards for the third week of 2010, covering games of March 15-22, as voted on by a panel of D-III members of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Cassese, a junior outfielder from Belleville, N.J., earned New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors after hitting .500 (12-24) with a 1.042 slugging percentage, including one double, four home runs, 17 RBI, and eight runs scored during five games played for the Scarlet Raptors in California. He opened the week by going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run, five RBI, and two runs scored in a 16-4 victory over Ithaca . One day later, in a 17-12 and 22-12 doubleheader sweep of California Lutheran, he went a combined 6-for-11 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and four runs scored. Cassese, who hit safely in all five games, including a three home-run performance in the game-one victory over Cal Lutheran, currently leads the NJAC in RBI (20).

Uhl, a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio, went 2-0 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA last week as he fired 10 shutout innings while giving up just one hit and two walks and striking out five. Against Penn State-Behrend on Friday, he fired the sixth no-hitter in NCAA Division III this season en route to a complete game seven-inning 10-0 victory over the Lions, striking out four and walking only one. He also threw three shutout innings, allowing one hit, to get the win in an 11-7 victory over Hanover . Uhl was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Schmitt, a senior from Farley, Iowa, threw Wartburg's first seven-inning no-hitter since 1994 in a 3-0 win over Concordia-Moorhead on March 20. Improving to 2-1, he did not allow a Cobber runner to reach third base and struck out six while surrendering four walks and hitting a batter. It was his third career shutout and lowered his season earned-run average by more than two points (7.88 to 5.48). Schmitt was named the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's baseball and overall Male Athlete of the Week.

Honorable Mention Hitters: Chris Bligh (Scranton) - .517 (15-29), 3 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 22 RBI, 12 runs, 1.103 slugging pct.; Aaron Hopson (Wisconsin-Platteville) - .682 (15-22), 7 doubles, 1 home run, 13 RBI, 2 steals, 1.136 slugging pct.; Jameson Kokolis (Worcester Tech) - .429 (6-14), 2 home runs, 8 RBI, .857 slugging pct.; Logan Smith (LeTourneau) - .667 (12-18), 1 double, 2 home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs, 5 steals, 1.056 slugging pct.; Brad Kubis (Bethany WV) - .522 (12-23), 2 doubles, 1 triple, 5 RBI, 8 runs, .696 slugging pct.; Kevin Murray (Manhattanville) - .517 (15-29), 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 18 RBI, 16 runs, 1.034 slugging pct.; Mike Marion (Virginia Wesleyan) - .526 (10-19), 1 double, 5 home runs, 12 RBI, 10 runs, 1.368 slugging pct.

Honorable Mention Pitchers: Derek Eitel (Rose-Hulman) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 3 hits, 8 strikeouts; Tyler Dierke (Kenyon) - 2-0, 0.0 ERA, 13.0 ip, 1 cg, 9 hits, 8 strikeouts; Jason Pankau (Illinois Wesleyan) - 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 cg, 1 hit, 14 strikeouts; Andy Lowe (Heidelberg) - 1-0, 3 saves, 0.00 ERA, 9.2 ip, 11 strikeouts; Todd Leister (Elizabethtown) - 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 ip, 1 CG, 1 hit, 3 strikeouts.

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2010 NCBWA Division III Players of the Week:
• March 7: Joseph Villegas, Mary Hardin-Baylor (Hitter); Ryan McDonough, Lynchburg (Pitcher)
• March 14: Justin Franklin, Ferrum and Jeff Butera, Haverford (Hitter); James Murrey, Macalester (Pitcher)
• March 21: Michael Cassese, Rutgers-Newark (Hitter); Paul Uhl, Thomas More and Billy Schmitt, Wartburg (Pitcher)
• March 28: Jeff Scafidi, Anna Maria (Hitter); Tim Smith, Nichols (Pitcher)
• April 4: Jack Cinoman, Chicago (Hitter); Tim Kriegel, Hardin-Simmons (Pitcher)
• April 11: Todd Keneborous, St. Joseph's (Hitter); Steve Locke, College at Brockport (Pitcher)
• April 18: Steve Nickel, Cortland State (Hitter); Matthew Greene, Castleton State (Pitcher)
• April 25: Jay Slick, Bethel (Hitter); Dave Filak, SUNY-Oneonta (Pitcher)
• May 2: Chris Jarrett, Anderson (Hitter); Matt Schuld, St. Thomas (Pitcher)
• May 9: Jay Slick, Bethel and Jacob Millen, Moravian (Hitter); Matt Schuld, St. Thomas (Pitcher)