Slippery Rock University Athletics

One of this year’s team captains ... Fourth-year starter at second base ... One of two returning starters in Rock infield and one of five everyday players returning from last year’s Rock squad ... Has the potential to be one of top hitters on the team ... Will be counted on to provide leadership this spring ... Will bat in the middle of the lineup ... Summer 2009: Batted .267 with eight doubles, one triple and eight RBIs as the starting second baseman for the Slippery Rock Sliders in Prospect League wood-bat competition ... Spring 2009: Earned second-team All-Atlantic Region honors from American Baseball Coaches Association ... Named to honorable mention all-region status by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ... Also received first-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division status ... Batted .344 with 14 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 37 RBIs ... One of five players who started all 51 games ... Summer 2008: Joined Rock teammate Matt Adams as a member of the Pittsfield Dukes of New England Collegiate Baseball League ... Hand injury limited him to only 19 games of 41-game Dukes season ... Collected two doubles, one triple and five RBIs ... Spring 2008: Earned second-team All-PSAC-West honors ... Batted .239 with seven doubles, two home runs and 15 RBIs ... Played in 43 of The Rock’s 48 games, all as a starter ... Was three of four in stolen base attempts ... Summer 2007: Played on Winchester Royals in Valley Baseball League ... 2007: Hit .282 with five doubles, one triple, one HR and 23 RBIs in rookie season ... Played in 37 of Rock’s 52 games and was in starting lineup for 36 games ... Summer 2006: Played on Allegheny Athletics summer collegiate league team ... High school: Perennial All-Mercer County Athletic League all-star ... Played on prestigious Allegheny Pirates fall league team in 2004 and 2005 ... ... Four-year letterwinner ... Personal: Billy Marc Messer ... Youngest child of Rock head coach Jeff Messer and his wife, Mary ... Younger brother of former Rock outfielder Matt Messer ...Will serve as assistant coach for the Slippery Rock Sliders in the Prospect League in the summer of 2010 ... Business major.