Courtesy: Will Bratton Head Coach Greg Goff announced today the signing of three more student-athletes for 2009-10.

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Head baseball coach Greg Goff announced today the signing of three more highly decorated recruits to his second recruiting class at CU.  David Rivera, Kyle Brandenburg, and Ben Fish have all inked commitments with Campbell and will play for the black and orange beginning in the fall of 2009.

 

The Fighting Camels, now in Goff’s second year, have posted 21 wins thus far this season, which ties last year’s win total.  Campbell got off to the second best start in school history posting six straight wins to start the season and winning eight of their first nine contests.  The Camels are currently leading the Atlantic Sun Conference in team batting average, runs, stolen bases, and fielding percentage.  Coach Goff expects that this new crop of recruits will help lead CU to the top of the A-Sun and keep them there as a consistent contender for the conference championship.

 

Goff on the New Signees:

“With these three commitments, we feel that we have been able to address some needs that we had once the early sign period concluded.  We feel that all three of these young men will have the chance to help us early in their careers; but we are confident that they are also going to be a huge part of the long-term success of our program.  Each of these guys has been successful, but we feel that their best days of baseball are still ahead of them.  We are blessed to have the opportunity to help them reach all their goals and dreams.”

 

David Rivera will come to Buies Creek via Upland, Calif. after spending three years as a starter at Claremont High School.  The 6-foot-1, 210-pound infielder/right-handed pitcher has earned three varsity letters at CHS; as well as earning a spot on the Oakland A’s Fall Scout team.  Rivera has also spent the last three summers playing for the SGV Arsenal, one of the premiere ranked summer programs the country, according to Perfect Game USA.  He was named the 2009 Rawlings/Perfect Game All-Region (Southwest US) honorable mention.  Rivera was also selected to the 2007 Under Armour/Baseball Factory All-tools team.  He was also a three-year starting linebacker on the football team, and team captain his senior year. 

 

Goff on Rivera:

“David is a big and strong player whose physical nature will assist in making an immediate impact in our program.  Not only is he a great player, but he is also an outstanding scholar-athlete that will contribute to our program in a number of different ways.  He comes to Campbell as a highly-recommended player from the West Coast and is a young man with tremendous character; which will be a great fit for our program for the next four years.”

 

Kyle Brandenburg will step foot on campus by way of Greensboro, N.C. after a successful career for Coach Donnie Maness at Ragsdale High School.  Ragsdale High is one of the top high school programs in the state.  The 6-foot-2, 175-pound switch-hitting infielder/right-handed pitcher, is a two-year starter at RHS.  Brandenburg has played the last two summers for Jason Harris and the Charlotte Heat, one of the up-and-coming summer programs in the state.  Brandenburg owned a .382 batting average as a junior with a 1.84 ERA on the mound, earning him a selection to the prestigious 2008 NC State Games.  The rangy, versatile infielder is batting .458 this season with 16 RBI, seven doubles through the first 18 games of his senior season.  He was also a two-time all-conference and all-county cross country runner for Ragsdale HS.  Brandenburg is also very active with the Christian ministry group, Young Life.

 

Goff on Brandenburg:

“We feel fortunate to sign such a quality player from the state of North Carolina.  We are excited about the ability this young man has to have both an impact in the field as well as on the mound early in his Campbell career.  Brandenburg will bring a strong work ethic, high energy and an outstanding attitude when he steps on campus in the fall of 2009.  Both myself and the rest of the coaching staff are thrilled to have a chance to help him to continue to develop into a special ball player.”

 

Ben Fish, a 6-foot, 190-pound catcher, will make the short trek down I-95 to Campbell via Rocky Mount, N.C., after a decorated career for Pat Smith at Rocky Mount High School.  Fish led the Gryphons to the 2008 3-A state championship while batting .402 with five homeruns, as well as a school-record 38 RBI.  He is a two-time selection to the all-conference first team and was a member of the 2008 NC State Games Gold Metal Champions.  Fish was tabbed as the 315^th best player in the country, according to Perfect Game (January 2008).  He was also rated the 38^th best prospect in the state of North Carolina by Impactbaseball.com.  Fish spent the last two summers playing for the Dirtbags baseball program, which is one of the best summer programs in the country.  Fish made back-to-back appearances on the Babe Ruth World Series All-Defensive team in 2004 and 2005.  Fish is a tremendous student-athlete, one that excels in the classroom and it shows as he is a member of the National Honor Society.

 

Goff on Fish:

“Ben is another highly recognized recruit that we feel very fortunate to have joining our program starting in the fall of 2009.  He is a tireless worker and a great competitor that will make his presence known early in his career.  The success that Ben and his teams have had will assist in a smooth transition to the next level and we are excited about having another successful player join our program.”

 

The addition of these three commitments increases the 2009-10 recruiting class to nine members.  Rivera, Brandenburg, and Fish join the six members of the early signing period that include junior college players: Matt Sergey and Cameron Nelson; as well as high school standouts: Blake Boyce, Matt Marksberry, Logan Self, and Noah Zipko.  The 9-member recruiting class will be counted upon to lead Campbell to the top of the Atlantic Sun, and continue to move the Fighting Camels to new heights.

 

Goff on the 2009-10 Class:

“With the addition of these three young men to our recruiting class, our coaching staff feels that we have been able to solidify some voids that we were unable to address in the fall.  I am extremely excited and hopeful that these nine guys will lead this program over the next few years; as we continue to achieve success that the Campbell community can be proud of.  I feel confident that this recruiting class, as a whole, will arrive on campus in the fall as one of the best recruiting classes that has ever stepped foot on campus.  Coach Haire, Coach Blackwell, Coach Caddell and I are thrilled about the future that these young men represent for our program.”