Kansas Baseball Announces Captains for 2012

Jan. 18, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Senior pitcher Jordan Jakubov and infielders Chris Manship and Jake Marasco have been named team captains of the Kansas baseball team for the 2012 season head coach Ritch Price announced Wednesday. All three players will be captains for the first time this season.

“In 2012, we will field one of the youngest teams in the country with 17 freshmen and sophomores. The leadership of our team captains will be crucial to the success of our team,” Price said. “Each of these young men will need to lead by example and help our young guys play through the adversity that comes with competing in one of the best conferences in the country.”

Jakubov, a 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher from Maize, Kan., will be in his fifth season at KU after redshirting the 2008 campaign. He has shown amazing perseverance during his career at KU, fighting through two Tommy John surgeries. Last season, Jakubov appeared in 13 games out of the bullpen and posted a 5.40 ERA with eight strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings. He will be a key member of the Kansas bullpen this year. Jakubov is a double-major in psychology and sports management.

Manship, a 6-foot-2 first baseman/designated hitter from Cave Creek, Ariz., is in his fourth year with the team and has started 62 games in his career. Last season, Manship batted .250 with five doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs. In his first season as a full-time starter, in 2010, he batted .336 with six doubles and 17 RBIs. Manship will graduate in the fall of 2012 with an engineering degree.

Marasco, a 6-foot-3 first baseman from Wichita, Kan., has been a two-year starter at KU. The senior started at third base the last two seasons, but will move to the right side of the infield for the 2012 season. He batted a career-best .286 last season with nine doubles, two homers and 23 RBIs. Marasco will graduate in the spring with a degree in business marketing.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” Price said. “All three of these student-athletes have earned the respect of everybody associated with our baseball program. They represent our team in a first-class manner on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”