Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Inks Seven Baseball Signees
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 8, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern University head baseball coach Paul Stevens has announced the signing of seven players to national letters of intent. They will begin play with the Wildcats in the spring of 2007, three of the seven signees hail from the Chicagoland area.
The local trio includes Matt Diedrich (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Carmel), Jake Goebbert (Hampshire,Ill./Hampshire) and Cole Livermore (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East). Diedrich, a 2005 Illinois High School Baseball Coaches All-Area selection, was 8-3 with a 1.60 ERA as a junior. Goebbert earned all-state, all-conference and all-area honors in both baseball and football. Livermore earned Upstate Eight All-Conference honors as a pitcher in 2005. He was 6-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 63 and two-third innings pitched.
Texans Kenneth Avila (Corpus Christi, Texas/W.B. Ray) and Chad Noble (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) will join the Wildcat infield in 2006. Avila, a first-team all-district shortstop for W.B. Ray High School hit .389 scored 34 runs and stole 30 bases in 2005. Noble, an all-district catcher for Rockwell High School hit over .300 leading his team to the Texas 5A State Finals.
Left-handed Wisconsin native Joe Muraski (Rothschild, Wis./D.C. Everest) and right-handed Jonathan Purcell (Oceanside, Calif./Vista) will join the Wildcat pitching staff in 2006. Muraski has gone 12-4 in his last two years on the mound, which includes 2.05 ERA in 10 starts in 2005. Purcell did not give up an earned run in 12 and two-third innings this fall. He struck out 19 of the 38 batters he faced.
"I couldn't be more happy with our recruiting class," said Stevens. "These seven guys are a terrific bunch of baseball players. The four pitchers we brought in will mesh nicely with the guys we have returning and I fully expect them to compete for innings next season. Positionally, we have three student-athletes who have the potential to enter our program and make a difference right away. We are very excited with the direction our program is going and this class is a step in that direction."
Complete Biographies Below:
Kenneth Avila (5-10 • 170 • R/R • Corpus Christi, Texas/W.B. Ray)
High School: Named 2005 first-team All-District 28-5a, first-team All-South Texas, and first-team All-Metro as a shortstop ... Stole 30 bases in 2005, leading the state of Texas and setting a school record in the process ... Set the table for high school team in 2004 and 2005, batting over .385 and scoring over 34 runs both seasons ... Team captain ... Named MVP of the LSU Baseball Camp ... Earned 2004 All-District 29-5a as a sophomore ... Member of the Select Team that won 2004 IBC Texas State Baseball Championships and participated in the 2005 IBC World Series ... Invited to attend numerous prestigious baseball camps ... Member of National Honor Society ... Recognized as an Eagle Scout ... Ranked seventh in a class of 459.
Personal: Born Kenneth Andrew Avila on October 24, 1987 ... Son of Pete and Suzanne Avila ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is political science.
Matt Diedrich (6-3 • 205 • L/L • Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Carmel)
High School: Finished 2005 with an 8-3 record and a stellar 1.60 ERA ... Named to the All-Area team by Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association ... Earned all-area honors for the Daily Herald, Pioneer Press, and Lakeland Newspapers ... Honored as a member of the ESCC All-Conference team ... Recognized by his team as the MVP and Most Valuable Pitcher of the 2005 season ... Pitched arguably his best game as a high schooler in the regional final of the 2005 playoffs, throwing a one-hit shutout with no walks ... Member of the Carmel High School team that made the state tournament in 2004 ... Member of National Honor Society ... Honor Roll student.
Personal: Born Matthew R. Diedrich on July 25, 1988 ... Son of David and Kay Diedrich ... Plans on being a pre-law major at Northwestern.
Jake Goebbert (6-0 • 185 • R/R • Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire)
High School: Earned three varsity letters in baseball, football and basketball ...All-State baseball player as a junior ... Honorable mention all-state football ... Three-time all-conference and all-area baseball selection, twice in football ... Pitched five innings of shutout relief, striking out 12 to win Big Northern conference championship ... Competed for Norwood Blues AAU team that played in NABF World Series in Mississippi ... Won numerous AAU tournaments ... All-State academic team ... Four-year Super Honor Roll student ... Presidential Award winner.
Personal: Born Jacob Dwayne Goebbert on September 24, 1987 ... Son of Lloyd and Terry Goebbert ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is business.
Cole Livermore (6-2 • 185 • R/R • St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East)
High School: Named to the Upstate Eight All-Conference squad in 2004 and 2005 ... Earned all-area laurels for the Daily Herald, Kane County Chronical, Elgin Courier and the St. Charles Republican in 2004 and 2005 ... Member of the St. Charles East baseball team that finished fourth in the IHSA 2004 Baseball Tournament ... 2005 Regional Champions ... Selected to compete in both the 2005 White Sox Silver & Black Showcase and Northwest Suburban Conference Showcase ... Chosen as Summer League IHSBCA "Cream of the Crop" player ... Batted over .300 and pitched to an ERA less than 2.65 the last two years ... 2005-06 team captain ... Also active in basketball ... Team captain ... Unanimous 2005 Upstate Eight All-Conference selection ... Played alongside fellow NU recruit Jake Goebbert throughout high school.
Personal: Born Cole Alan Livermore on August 11, 1987 ... Son of Craig and Bev Livermore ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is communications.
Joe Muraski (6-2 • 180 • L/L • Rothschild, Wis./D.C. Everest)
High School: Earned all-district honors for his play at first base in 2005 ... Named to the WVC All-Conference team as both a pitcher and first baseman ... Recognized by his fellow teammates as the team MVP ... Earned the win for D.C. Everest in regional semifinal, regional final, sectional final, and state semifinal during their run to the Wisconsin State Championship game in 2004 ... Batted .475 and boasted an ERA of 1.20 throughout tournament ... Participated in the Jim Ganter Classic and White Sox Wisconsin/Minnesota All-Star Game ... Also made the WVC All-Conference team in 2004 as a utility player ... Batted .407 and knocked in 24 runs during 2005 season ... Has a combined 12-4 varsity record in his two years as a pitcher ... Also honored as an all-conference team member for both basketball and football ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Honor Roll student.
Personal: Born Joseph Anthony Muraski on August 11, 1987 ... Son of John and Terri Muraski ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is undecided.
Chad Noble (6-1 • 195 • R/R • Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall)
High School: Named to the all-district defensive team ... Led Rockwell to the 5A Texas State final as starting catcher ... Team captain in 2005 ... Batted over .300 junior season before suffering an ankle injury ... Threw out three players in state playoff game against Newman Smith ... Three-year letterwinner ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Played for the prestigious club team DBat over the summer and fall of 2005 ... Also participated in basketball during high school, earned one letter.
Personal: Born Chad Dudley Noble on November 18, 1987 ... Son of Dave and Leslie Noble ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is engineering or economics.
Jonathan Purcell (6-3 • 215 • R/R • Oceanside, Calif./Vista)
High School: Currently a member of the Cardinals Elite Pro 2005 Scout team after being asked to join four different pro scout teams ... Member of the U.S. team for the Area Code Goodwill Games held in Australia ... Pitched for victorius U.S. in championship game ... Participated in the Dodgers Elite Lasorda Games run by Tommy Lasorda ... Arguably the most impressive pitcher at the games, he struck out six batters, three times as many as any other pitcher ... Honored as a member of the San Diego Union Tribune All-Academic Baseball team ... Participated in the Brewers Area Code Final Tryouts at the University of Southern California ... Finished in the top ten percent of his class ... Member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Born Jonathan Allerton Purcell on April 2, 1988 ... Son of Jon and Sheryl Purcell ... Anticipated major at Northwestern is business.
