June 16, 2003

RUTGERS-CAMDEN'S McKENNA DRAFTED
BY THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS

SCARLET RAPTORS ALL-TIME SAVES LEADER SELECTED IN 27TH ROUND

Rutgers University-Camden senior closer Dan McKenna was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers on June 4 in the 27th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.

McKenna, a hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball has been clocked in the mid-90's this season, was drafted No. 789 overall. He was the second selection in the 27th round, following a pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. McKenna's selection comes a week after he was invited out to Milwaukee's Miller Park for a pre-draft showcase, where the Brewers entertained a dozen of the candidates high on their draft list.

McKenna, a 6-4, 205-pounder, completed his two-year Rutgers-Camden career this spring as the program's all-time leader with seven saves. A single-season record six of those saves came during his junior season in 2002, when he went 1-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 22-1/3 innings, allowing only 17 hits and two walks. He fanned 18 and opponents hit only .202 against him.

McKenna's outstanding 2002 season earned him Second Team All-New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association honors. He also captured New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week (April 1) and ECAC Division III Metro Pitcher of the Week (April 3) honors following a pair of saves in back-to-back NJAC games against Richard Stockton College (March 29) and William Paterson University (March 30, Game Two). He had a 1-2-3 inning in each game as he tied and passed the former single-season school mark of four saves, set by Rick Koss in 1995. That accomplishment earned him honors as the school's Raptor of the Week for April 1.

The inning McKenna worked in a 6-5 win against Paterson, which included one strikeout, gave him the distinction of earning the first collegiate save at Campbell's Field.

McKenna finished second in the NJAC in both appearances and saves in 2002. His six saves also tied him for 18th nationally among all NCAA Division III players.

This season, with fewer save opportunities, McKenna worked in only 15-2/3 innings and recorded one save, setting the school career record. His record-setting save came in a 6-2 victory over Gwynedd-Mercy College April 15. He entered the game with the tying run on deck in the eighth inning, worked out of the jam and finished with 1-1/3 perfect innings.

McKenna finished the season with a 1-2 record and a 4.02 ERA after a slow start, allowing only one earned run in his final 9-1/3 innings and eight appearances.

For his career he went 2-3 with seven saves and a 2.61 ERA in 38 innings, walking eight, allowing 32 hits and striking out 27. He held opponents to a .219 batting average.