Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Announces Four Baseball Signings
1/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 7, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - Ill.-Northwestern University head baseball coach Paul Stevens has announced the signing of four players to national letters of intent. They will begin play with the Wildcats in the spring of 2005, two of the four signees hail from the Chicagoland area.
The local duo includes righty Aaron Newman (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), who is a three-sport athlete and Mark Bennett (Palos Park, Ill./ Providence), a baseball and football standout. Newman, a first-team all-conference selection, hit .376 in 2003 with 27 stolen bases and six doubles. Newman also won the Jackie Robinson Award for most stolen bases for his American Legion team.
Bennett, who was selected to Tom Lemming's football Prep Sports Report "Top 10 Illinois Wide Receivers to Watch," was named to Baseball Factory's 2002 and 2003 High School All-American lists. Bennett recently received a national ranking of number 45 in TeamOneBaseball.com's Top-100 high school middle infielders. Both players participated in the Jack Kaiser Games, in which they were both selected as Top-40 Illinois High School players by the Illinois High School Coaches Association.
Outfielders Max Mann (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood), and Jake Owens (Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli) are the two out-of-state recruits joining the Wildcats next fall. Mann, a three-time all-league selection, is a 2004 WWBA Top 25 Prospect in the Pacific Region, and competed for the Dodgers 2002 Elite Team.
Owens, a three-sport athlete at Pacelli High School, was an all-conference selection in three sports. Owens garnered all-state recognition in baseball, football and basketball, tying the Wisconsin state record for career interceptions with 33. Owens also was selected by Major League Baseball to compete in the Area Code Games.
"We are very excited about this class of recruits," said head coach Paul Stevens. "We were definitely trying to bring an element of speed to our team, which quite frankly, we haven't had very much of over the last few years. Jake (Owens), Mark (Bennett) and Aaron (Newman) not only bring tremendous baseball skill, but outstanding speed to our team. Max's (Mann) offensive potential, especially in the power aspect, will compliment their speed and help us become a more offensive team."
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY BASEBALL * THE CLASS OF 2008
Mark Bennett (5-11 * 175 * R/R * Palos Park, Ill./Providence)
High School: Varsity letterwinner in baseball and football ... Participated in Jack Kaiser Games, selected as a Top-40 Illinois High School player by the Illinois High School Coaches Association ... Chosen as a Baseball Factory 2003 and 2003 High School All-American ... Voted number 45 to TeamOneBaseball.com's Top 100 High School Middle Infielders list ... Hit .452 as a shortstop and second baseman in 2003 ... Played three years for nationally ranked Top Tier AAU team, leading the team in hitting (.523) ... Struck out only three times in 107 at-bats ... Selected to Chicago Tribune Top 100 Area football players ... Joliet Herald 2002 & 2003 All-Area second-team ... Listed as a "Top 10 Illinois Wide Receivers to Watch" on Tom Lemming's Prep Sports Report ... Football team's leading receiver the last two years, catching 59 passes for 647 yards and 12 touchdowns ... Team won 2001 and 2002 State Championship ... Caught three passes for 90 yards in 2002 championship game ... Illinois State Scholar ... Member of High Honor Roll all four academic years ... Class Vice President as a junior and senior.
Personal:Born Mark Evans Bennett on January 3, 1986 ... Son of Thomas and Marta Bennett ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is economics.
Max Mann (6-3 * 185 * R/R * Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood)
High School: Three-year letterwinner in baseball ... Three-time all-league selection ... Played for 2002 Dodger Elite Team ... Chosen to WWBA Top 25 Prospect Class of 2004 (Pacific Region) ... Participated for Best of the West All-Stars in the Senior Fall Classic in Peoria, Ariz. ... Team won Delphic League Championship as a sophomore and Alpha League Championship as a junior ... Played three years for the East Los Angeles Dodgers AAU team, traveling to tournaments in New Mexico, Arizona, Florida and other parts of California ... Honor Roll throughout high school.
Personal: Born Maximilian Stanley Mann on April 30, 1986 ... Son of Robert Mann and Hollis Hauman ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is economics/political science.
Aaron Newman (5-9 * 145 * R/R * Palatine, Ill./Palatine)
High School: Varsity letterwinner in three sports (baseball, football and basketball) ... First-team Midsuburban All-Conference ... Voted team MVP ... USA Athletes International Selection for Aruba Goodwill Games ...Participated in Jack Kaiser Games, selected as a Top-40 Illinois High School player by the Illinois High School Coaches Association ... In Legion Post 690 playoff game vs. Elk Grove, hit safely if 5-of-6 at-bats, driving in seven and stealing three bases ... Competed in Northwest Suburban Junior Showcase ... Won American Legion Post 690 Jackie Robinson Award for most stolen bases ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Aaron Edward Newman on February 1, 1986 ... Son of Ernest and Arnetta Newman ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is computer science.
Jake Owens (6-0 * 175 * R/R * Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli)
High School: Multiple varsity letters in baseball, football and basketball ... Honorable-mention all-state second baseman as a junior, first-team all-state outfielder as a sophomore ... Two-time first-team all-region ... Two-time first-team All-Central Wisconsin Conference selection as a sophomore and junior ... Honorable-mention as a freshman ... Chosen by Major League Baseball to compete in Area Code Games ... Stole 48-of-49 bases thus far for Pacelli High School, hitting .421 (82-for-195) ... Stole 66-of-70 bases for American Legion team with a .476 (141-for-296) batting average ... First-team all-state defensive back as a senior, honorable mention as a junior ... Four-time All-Central Wisconsin Conference selection, including three first-team selections as both a defensive back and wide receiver ... Stevens Point Journal Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... Stevens Point Journal Offensive Player of the Year as a junior ... Member of WSAW Channel 7 All-Area Team as a junior and senior ... Tied state record for career interceptions with 33 ... Honorable-mention all-state basketball player as a junior ... Central Wisconsin Conference Player of the Year ... Two-time basketball team MVP ... Two-time All-Central Wisconsin Conference selection, including a first-team selection as a junior ... Ranked second academically in class ... National Honor Society ... Earned an academic letter.
Personal: Born Jacob Daniel Owens on March 1, 1986 ... Son of Terry and Pam Owens ... Major is undecided
