SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Third baseman Shayne Houck (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) was named a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association 2012 Preseason All-American and led three Kutztown University student-athletes on the NCBWA All-Atlantic Region.
 
Houck was chosen to the All-America Second Team by the NCBWA and was joined on the All-Atlantic Region First Team by catcher Matt Albaugh (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn).  Second baseman Cody Montz (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven) (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) was named as an honorable mention to the all-region squad.
 
Houck was a leader at the plate for the Golden Bears in his junior season of 2011, leading the team with 11 home runs and 19 multi-hit games.  He batted .382 with 52 hits including 12 doubles.  He also held a slugging percentage of .713 and an on-base percentage of .485.  Houck batted .400 (18-for-45) with runners in scoring position and was 4-for-7 with the bases loaded including a game-winning tenth inning grand slam against the Apprentice School on Feb. 18.  It was one of a pair of homers against Apprentice when he notched a season-high seven RBIs.  He also had four RBIs in consecutive games against Millersville and Mansfield on Apr. 3 and 10, respectively.  He had a 14-game hitting streak during the season and two multi-home run games.  Houck was named PSAC East Player of the Year, PSAC East First Team, ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic Region First Team, Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team, NCBWA All-Atlantic Region First Team after the season.
 
Albaugh had a terrific sophomore season as the everyday catcher for the Golden Bears in 2011.  In his 35 games played, he batted .340 with 36 hits and 18 RBIs.  He was tied for third on the team with 10 doubles and had one home run.  He had 11 multi-hit games and was second on the team with six multiple-RBI games. Albaugh had three hits with two RBIs in consecutive games against Shippensburg on Mar. 25 & 26.  He was chosen to the All-PSAC East First Team and NCBWA All-Atlantic Region Third Team after the season.
 
Montz had a career season in his junior year during 2011.  He started in 35 of his 37 games played and led KU with a .389 average.  He had 42 hits with 24 runs scored and 23 runs batted in.  Montz also batted .447 (17-for-38) with runners in scoring position.  He led the team with 11 stolen bases in 13 attempts.  Montz had 10 multi-hit games and ended the season on a six-game hitting streak.  In a doubleheader at Mansfield on Apr. 10, Montz went 5-for-8 with seven combined RBIs including his first collegiate home run.  He had a season-high four hits on Feb. 19 against Bloomsburg. Montz was a member of the Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team.
 
Houck, Albaugh and Montz are three of 26 returning players from a 2011 squad that won 21 games and posted the program's 19th consecutive winning season.