Van Slyke Named Big 12 Player of the Week

March 1, 2005

LAWRENCE, Kan. – University of Kansas junior outfielder A.J. Van Slyke was selected as the Big 12’s Player of the Week on Tuesday following his strong play and late game heroics in the Jayhawk’s series with Northern Colorado over the weekend.

Van Slyke batted .556 with a 5-for-9 week, two homers and six RBI with a slugging percentage of 1.333, but his late-game heroics proved to be critical for the Jayhawks. He launched a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of a 9-8 comeback win over Northern Colorado to give KU the series and to provide the first walk-off home run victory in the three-year tenure of coach Ritch Price at Kansas. He also blasted the first grand slam of the season for the team and doubled to start a three-run rally, which tied the series finale at 8-8 through nine innings and set the stage for the game-winning shot last Sunday.