March 13, 2007

ITHACA, N.Y. - Junior outfielder Brian Kaufman was named the Ivy League Player of the Week after leading the Big Red to a 2-1 mark last weekend, including a double-header sweep at LaSalle, the league office announced on Tuesday. Tuesday's award was the first of the season and the second league player of the week honor for the junior from Austin, Texas.

Kaufman spear-headed the Cornell offense that posted 22 runs in the three-game set in Philadelphia last weekend. For the weekend, he hit .857 (6-of-7) with two doubles, two triples, six runs scored and seven driven in. Kaufman also posted a 1.714 slugging percentage for the week, while also drawing four walks.

In the double-header against LaSalle on Saturday, he went 3-for-4 with three walks, driving in a run, stealing two bases and scoring twice. The following morning against Villanova, he went 3-for-3 with another two walks, driving in two runs and scoring four times in the 10-9 loss.

Kaufman had previously been named the Ivy League Player of the Week on April 18, 2006, after hitting .538 (14-for-26) with four doubles, six triples and three home runs in a six-game week for the Big Red. He was also twice named the league's Rookie of the Week during his freshman season.

This season, Kaufman leads the Big Red with a .455 batting average, nine runs, nine driven in, four doubles and two triples. He has also stolen four bases in five attempts and has walked seven times while only striking out four times.

Cornell continues its season with a trip to North Carolina for spring break next week. The trip opens on Saturday with a noon contest against Lehigh and a 3 p.m. game against Davidson. Both games will be played in Davidson, N.C.