Bralver Named UAA MVP; Four Other Eagles Selected to All-UAA Team

Emory University first baseman Steve Bralver was named the University Athletic Association's  (UAA) Most Valuable Player for the 2009 baseball season, highlighting a group of five Eagles who were selected to an all-UAA team.

Joining Bralver on the all-UAA first team is outfielder David Hissey.  Shortstop Andrew Cohn, pitcher Zeb Heidt, and outfielder Dan Molnar each earned nods to the second team.

Bralver finished the season with a team-best .375 batting average in addition to 61 runs batted in and seven home runs.  It marks the third time that the senior has been honored by the UAA, after being selected to the all-UAA Tournament first team in 2007 and 2009.

Hissey batted .369 for the Eagles, while leading the team with 37 stolen bases during the season (the third-most in the nation), and setting the Emory career stolen base record with 113 thefts.  The senior also drove in 30 runs during the campaign, while tying for the conference lead with 44 runs scored.  In 2006, Hissey was named the UAA Tournament MVP and earned a spot of the all-conference first team.

Cohn started 41 of 42 Emory games during the season, batting .304 with 24 RBIs and 40 runs scored, in addition to swiping 13 bases and leading the team in at bats.  The sophomore was named to the all-UAA Tournament second team during his freshman campaign in 2008.

In his first year with Emory, Heidt converted seven saves, while recording a 3-2 record and a 1.53 earned run average.  The junior sidearm closer struck out 32 batters in 35.1 innings pitched, holding opponents to a .246 batting average, and led the team with 17 appearances during the year.

Molnar demolished the Emory single-season walk record during the year, amassing 49 free passes, including an association-record nine during the UAA Tournament, and a team-best .492 on base percentage.  The sophomore finished the year with a .319 batting average, three home runs, 20 RBIs and 18 stolen bases, and led all Division III players with 1.17 walks per game.  This marks Molnar's third conference honor, after being named to the all-UAA Tournament second team in 2008, and the first team in 2009.

The all-conference honorees are nominated by their team's coach, and then voted on by all of the UAA baseball coaches.  This is the first year that the UAA has named an all-association team based on the entire season of play, in addition to an all-UAA Tournament team.

Emory finished its regular season with a 24-18 record, including a 3-3 mark in conference games.