Chris Denorfia taken in the 19th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Cincinnati Reds

June 8, 2002

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College senior outfielder Chris Denorfia (Southington, CT/Choate-Rosemary School) became the first baseball player in the brief five-year existence of the varsity program to be taken in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, as he was selected in the 19th round by the Cincinnati Reds of the National League.

Denorfia will report to rookie orientation in Sarasota, Florida and then is expected to play for either the Gulf Coast League Reds in Sarasota or Billings Mustangs in Montana, both of which are rookie affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds. This announcement capped a great week for the 6' 1", 185-pound Denorfia. On Thursday, May 30, he earned a starting role in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Coaches Association (NEIBCA) All-Star game at Fenway Park.

He was one of only three outfielders in the nation selected to the 2002 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division III All-America first team. Finishing his college career with a .403 batting average, 264 hits, 182 runs and 168 RBI in 169 games, Denorfia was also named to the All-New England first team, the New England Regional All-Tournament team, an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) All-Star and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year.

Denorfia paced the Lyons in several categories this spring, including hits (85), runs scored (58), stolen bases (34) and a national ranking in batting average (.457). He was also second on the team in RBI (62), homeruns (7), triples (5) and doubles (17). Denorfia shattered Wheaton's single-season marks in batting average, hits, runs scored, stolen bases and total bases (133). Practically rewriting the career record book, he holds one of the top two marks in every major statistical category with the exception of walks, where he currently stands third overall.

A double major in Hispanic Studies and International Relations where he posted an impressive 3.29 grade point average, Denorfia helped the Lyons make history with an astounding 37-9-1 record. Wheaton reached its first New England Regional championship game in addition to qualifying for its third straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Earning their fifth consecutive postseason appearance overall, the Lyons won their conference tournament title for the fourth time in the NEWMAC‚s four-year existence, while also finishing as regular season champions for the fourth season. Ranked seventh in the country and second in New England this season, Denorfia has been a part of one of the nation's elite programs that has registered an overall record of 124-46-1 (.728) in the last four years.

Honored as a three-time All-New England selection and All-NEWMAC choice over his illustrious career, Denorfia also played for the Manchester Silkworms of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), where he was named to the All-Star team in each of the last two summers.

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