Kingsley Earns All-MAC Honors For Sensational Season

Senior ends career by earning second All-MAC honors by a Buffalo player

James Kingsley

BUFFALO, NY - On March 26, senior first baseman James Kingsley's (Medina, NY/Medina) batting average stood at .232 (19-for-82) after an 0-for-10 series performance against Central Michigan in the Mid-American Conference opening series.

What he did after that fateful series is a testament to the kind of ballplayer Kingsley should be remembered as. Within sight of many University at Buffalo career milestones, the co-captain regrouped with a 4-for-6 game against Canisius, homering for just the second time all season three days later, setting off one of the most impressive stretches for a Buffalo player since the team was reinstated in 2000.

He raised his batting average to a career-high .343 (70-for-204) and took the team lead in hits (70), doubles (15), RBIs (38) and slugging percentage (.539) in the ensuing seven weeks, capping it all off by earning All-MAC Second Team honors, the conference office announced on Tuesday morning.

James Kingsley

"This is a fitting tribute to one of the best players that we’ve had since the program has been reinstated," head coach Bill Breene said. "For all his hard work and leadership, it’s nice to see James get recognized for his talent and his playing abilities."

He joins sophomore Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) as the only UB players to earn All-MAC honors, as Folli earned Second Team honors in 2005 as a utility player.

Kingley's road to the conference honor was set off by his 51-for-122 (.418) stretch, that started on Mar. 29 against Canisius with his four-hit game. In the seventh inning of that game, Kingsley doubled down the left field line to set the first of his school records on the year, getting his 40th career two-bagger.

James Kingsley

He continued to hit consistently, but then he exploded with a 4-for-4 performance with a double and three RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader against St. Bonaventure, as he went 5-for-8 in the twinbill on Apr. 19. Three days later, he went 5-for-8 in a doubleheader with Ohio, blasting a homer in the game.

This set him up to pass another UB school record on Apr. 26 against Niagara, as he went 3-for-5 with four runs, three RBIs and two doubles in a 27-12 win. He passed Joe Mihalics' (2002-05) mark of 318 career total bases with his last double of the game.

His torrid hitting continued, as he went 4-for-7 with two homers and seven RBIs in a doubleheader against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion hopeful LeMoyne on May 3. In the first game of the doubleheader, he hit a double off the right field wall to join Mihalics as the only players in UB history to reach 200 career hits. In the sixth inning of the game, he joined Bryan Sanchez (2000-03) as the only players in UB history to reach 25 career homers.

He continued to slug, passing the 100 total base mark for the third time in his career with a second inning double against Kent State on May 19 in the first game of a twinbill. In the second game, he reached another career mark, as his opposite field two-run homer in the first inning helped him pass Sanchez on UB's RBI list with 137.

On May 20, the final game of the Bulls' season, Kingsley set one more UB mark, as he rapped two hits, the last an opposite-field single to right field to become the first UB player to reach 70 hits in a career twice.

Kingsley has been recognized by UB in each of his seasons, earning the Top Newcomer Award in 2003, Most Improved Player Award in 2004 (as he set school marks in doubles (20) and total bases (115) while also rapping 70 hits), Most Outstanding Player in 2005 (as he tied the school's home run mark (12) and set the RBIs mark (50) before repeating the honor this season.

He finishes his career with a .325 (214-for-659) average, the highest since the program was reinstated, 50 doubles, 138 RBIs, 355 total bases, 107 runs scored (seventh in school history), a .539 slugging percentage (10th in school history) and a school-record 1,256 putouts.

05/24/2006