DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association released its weekly NCAA Division II National Players of the Week awards of the season for the week ending on April 6. Slippery Rock senior shortstop Will Kengor is the National Hitter of the Week while Queens (N.Y.) senior right-hander Jonathan Russell is the National Pitcher of the Week.

Kengor (Pittsburgh, Pa.), a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., and graduate of Central Catholic High School, batted .571 (16 for 28) with three doubles, one triple and one home run and collected 15 RBIs in eight PSAC-West games last week. An All-America performer last spring, Kengor also compiled an .857 slugging percentage and a .588 on base percentage last week and was 6-for-6 in stolen bases. Behind Kengor's lead, The Rock compiled a 6-2 record last week to improve their season marks to 20-10 overall, 9-5 against PSAC-West opponents. Kengor, a lanky, left-hand-hitting leadoff hitter for The Rock, currently leads the PSAC in batting average (.430), total hits (52) and runs scored (36). Kengor also ranks third in triples (3), fifth in stolen bases (15) and seventh in both runs batted in (25) and doubles (9).

Russell (Boynton Beach, Fla.) went 2-0 on the week with a 0.00 ERA. He tossed a complete game shutout over Bridgeport, in which he struck out a career-high 17 batters while allowing just two hits. In two innings in a relief appearance against Nyack earlier in the week, he struck out five batters bringing his strikeout total to 22 in only nine innings of work on the week.  

Division II Regional Players of the Week:
• Atlantic: Will Kengor, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Brandon Holup, East Stroudsburg (Ohio) (Pitcher)
• Central: Phillip Wilson, Central Oklahoma (Hitter); Ryan Taylor, Arkansas Tech (Pitcher)
• East: Aaron Brill, Felician College (Hitter); Jonathan Russell, Queens (N.Y.) (Pitcher)
• Midwest: Mike Lee, Walsh (Hitter); Evan Nietfeldt, Grand Valley State (Pitcher)
• South: Jordan Chovanec, Delta State (Hitter); Ben Richardson, Florida Southern (Pitcher)
• South Central: Andrew Ratterman, New Mexico Highlands (Hitter); Brannon Easterling, St. Edward's (Pitcher)
• Southeast: Bradon Reitano, Mount Olive (Hitter); Aaron Rumburg, Belmont Abbey (Pitcher)
• West: Derek Nakasato, Hawai'i Pacific (Hitter); Steven Farnworth, Cal Poly Pomona (Pitcher)

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Howser Award Player of the Year, Regional Player of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors preseason All-America awards, publication and writing contests.

2014 NCBWA Division II Players of the Week:
• Feb. 2: Nick Perez, St. Leo (Hitter); David Ward, Ouchita Baptist (Pitcher)
• Feb. 9: Jordan Edgerton, UNC Pembroke (Hitter); Daniel Barfield, Francis Marion (Pitcher)
• Feb. 16: Hunter Boose, GRU Augusta (Hitter); Jordan DeLorenzo, West Florida (Pitcher)
• Feb. 23: Andrew Brodbeck, Flagler (Hitter); Matt McClain, St. Mary's (Pitcher)
• March 2: Nick Kranick, Flagler (Hitter); Chris Murphy, Millersville (Pitcher)
• March 9: Josh Coker, Lincoln Memorial (Hitter); Brannon Easterling, St. Edward's (Pitcher)
• March 16: Seth Tressler, Mansfield (Hitter); Joe Axelson, Southwest Minnesota State (Pitcher)
• March 23: Colby Painter, Lander (Hitter); Dan Altavilla, Mercyhurst (Pitcher)
• March 30: Giancarlo Saia, Lander (Hitter); Matt Kastelic, Notre Dame (Ohio) (Pitcher)
• April 6: Will Kengor, Slippery Rock (Hitter); Jonathan Russell, Queens (Pitcher)
• April 13: Giancarlo Brugnoni, Grand Canyon (Hitter); Will Landsheft, Drury (Pitcher)
• April 20: Tony Viger, Augustana (Hitter); Ryan O'Connor, Bentley (Pitcher)
• April 27: Jordan Liester, Colorado Mesa (Hitter); Josh Eagle, Cal State Monterey Bay (Pitcher)
• May 4: Payton Reed, Drury (Hitter); Dan Altavilla, Mercyhurst (Pitcher)