April 26, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Already having been selected as a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week and the Conference USA Hitter of the Week, UCF redshirt sophomore D.J. Hicks (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) added another honor Tuesday. The designated hitter was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pro-Line Athletic Co-National Hitter of the Week.
Hicks joined Southeast Missouri State's Trenton Moses as the national hitters of the week, while UCLA pitcher Trevor Bauer received the pitcher of the week accolade.
UCF has had four student-athletes in the last four years be named a Pro-Line Athletic National Hitter of the Week: Matt Horwath in 2007, Shane Brown in 2009, Darnell Sweeney in 2010 and Hicks in 2011.
Hicks, who is hitting .356 with 10 dingers this year, was the sparkplug in driving the Black and Gold (26-15 overall) to a 4-1 record last week. The Lake Brantley High School graduate hit .476 by going 10-for-21 at the plate, knocking out three home runs, driving in 13, posting two doubles and scoring seven runs. Hicks had a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .542 on-base percentage for the week.
Getting the week going against Florida Atlantic April 19, Hicks had a career-high six RBI with two doubles in a 12-0 win, then homered in an 8-6 victory vs. No. 5 Florida April 20 in front of a UCF record 3,601 fans. To close out the week, UCF traveled to Memphis where it won two of three from the Tigers, and Hicks played a big role. In game one, he had two singles highlighted by a 10th inning base hit that led to UCF's 5-4 victory. A day later, Hicks had five RBI including his second-career grand slam in an 11-9 triumph, and he would close the series by going 2-for-3 with a home run.
The Knights will hope to carry their momentum into the upcoming weekend when they host Houston in a three-game C-USA series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.