Feb. 24, 2009

George Mason junior second baseman Ryan Soares was named Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the Week after the Patriots won four games at the Courtyard by Marriott Baseball Classic in Spartanburg, S.C. Soares shared the award with UNC Wilmington's Grayson Evans.

Soares opened the season batting .500 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and five runs scored as he was named to the All-Tournament Team. Against USC Upstate, in the season opener, he went 4 for 5 with a double, a home run, three RBI and three runs scored. The next day, against UNC Asheville, in a doubleheader, he was 4 for 8 with a double an RBI and a run scored. In the tournament-finale, against SIU Edwardsville, he was 0 for 3 but scored walked and scored a run.

Soares, who was preseason All-CAA at second base, hit .315 last year, his first at Mason. He started all 55 games and he had 15 doubles, seven homers and 49 RBI. He also stole six bases.