Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Draft Passes on Owls' Biernbaum, Benjamin so far
6/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 7, 2001
By Bob Gosman
Boca Raton News
The initial day of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft came and went Tuesday without one player who wore an FAU uniform this year getting selected.
However, three recruits who were scheduled to wear FAU uniforms next season were among the selectees during the first 20 rounds. The second and final day of the draft is today.
The biggest news regarding next year's team is that junior outfielder L.J. Biernbaum was not taken in the first 20 rounds. Biernbaum, who is coming off a year where he hit .326 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs, said even if he is selected today he still will return to FAU for his senior season.
Owls coach Kevin Cooney said Biernbaum is making a good decision. "He'll be a much better prospect a year from now," Cooney said.
Senior pitcher Petersen Benjamin, who was projected to go between Round 10 and 15, was not selected Tuesday. Despite his disappointment, Benjamin said he is trying to maintain a positive attitude with the second day of the draft still remaining.
"I just want to get a chance somewhere," said Benjamin, who went 7-4 with a 2.41 ERA last season.
As for FAU's trio of recruits, Seminole lefty John Killalea was taken in the sixth round by St. Louis.
Killalea was the ace on Seminole's state championship team and has the tupe of stuff to step in and give FAU's starting rotation an immediate boost.
The FAU coaching staff said it should know in the next week if Killalea is going to decide to be an Owl or a Cardinal.
John has a certain figure in mind from (the Cardinals), and he said he's not wavering from it," said John McCormack, FAU's associate head coach/recruiting coordinator. "At this point, it comes down to money."
Dundeen infielder, Taylor McCormack was selected in the seventh round by Milwaukee and Josh Novisky, a first baseman from Newton High School in New Jersey, was taken by Cleveland in the same round.
Although this means FAU will have to sweat out the three draftees' decisions, McCormack said that just comes with the territory of recruiting top players.
"It shows we're signing the right guys," he said.
Cooney, who was drafted in the 10th round by Minnesota in 1972, said it is amazing how the improvements in technology allow players to instantly know when they have been selected.
"I guess I wasn't a real priority when I was drafted." Cooney joked. "I didn't find out until I read it in the newspaper the next day."
