Harvey Garners National Defensive Honor

Lincoln -- Collegiate Baseball announced today that University of Nebraska baseball standout Ken Harvey, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., has been named the 1999 NCAA Division I Easton Redline Defensive Player of the Year. Harvey earned the award after a near-perfect year in the field, sporting a sparkling .996 fielding percentage with 400 putouts, 45 assists and just two errors as a first-team All-America first baseman.

"Ken had an outstanding year for us last season," Head Coach Dave Van Horn said. "Most people realize what a tremendous season he had at the plate, but I'm not sure that people realize what a solid, consistent contributor he was on defense. This is a great honor in a long list of accomplishments for Ken."

Harvey, a fifth-round draft choice by the Kansas City Royals, carried the Huskers at the plate as well, leading Nebraska to its first conference title since 1950 by claiming the Big 12 Tournament crown. Harvey shattered the school single-season record and led the nation with his .478 batting average, while cranking out an NU single-season record 23 home runs. A Rotary-Smith Award finalist, Harvey finished the season with 107 hits, 15 doubles, one triple, and 86 RBI. Harvey earned first-team All-America honors from six different publications and ended his career on a 15-game hitting streak. He hit safely in 52 of 57 games last year.

Currently with the Spokane Indians, Harvey won the Northwest League batting title with a.397 average, helping Spokane to its first title since 1990. Harvey is also one of five finalists in the running for the 1999 Golden Spikes Award, amateur baseball's most prestigious award.