April 24, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... Sophomore center fielder Matt Cooksey and the George Mason baseball team are each ranked nationally this week in the NCAA Division I statistics. The stats include games through April 20.

Cooksey is ranked 23rd in the nation in triples per game, averaging 0.14 (four in 29 games) per contest. The 5-8, 170-pound native of Bowie, MD, and 2001 graduate of St. John's College High School entered the rankings last week at No. 18 with an average of 0.17 per game. For the season, Cooksey is batting .267 with seven doubles, four triples, six runs batted in and 13 stolen bases.

As a team, George Mason is ranked 26th with a .970 fielding percentage. Through 35 games (as of Sunday), the Patriots had committed just 40 errors in 1,347 chances. Mason is well on its way to setting a team record for best fielding percentage, as the previous best mark was .959 in 1993.

"Our ability to play quality defense has been a large part of our success to this point in the season," said Patriot head coach Bill Brown, who has an overall record of 596-545-5 in 22 seasons at George Mason. "Continuing to play sound defense should help us reach our team goal of challenging for a conference championship and playing in the NCAA Tournament."

George Mason takes a 25-12 overall record and an 8-3 mark in the Colonial Athletic Association into its three-game CAA series this weekend at James Madison (22-18, 7-4 CAA). The Patriots and Dukes meet Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.