2021 Big Ten Baseball Preseason Honors List
2020 Spring Academic All-Big Ten
Career Highs
H: 5, 2x, last at Michigan (5/21/22)
HR: 1, 7x, last at Michigan (5/21/22)
RBI: 5, at Michigan (5/21/22)
R: 4, Wagner (2/25/20)
BB: 3, vs. Hofstra (4/26/22)
SB: 2, 2x, last at Michigan (4/23/21)
2022 (Redshirt Junior)
Had two hits, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI in the Big Ten Tournament (5/26-5/29) ... Had a career day in series finale win at Michigan, going 5-for-6 with 2 runs, 5 RBI, a home run and a double (5/21) ... 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and a home run in win over Saint Joseph's (5/17) ... Scored 2 runs and drove in 3 in two games against Bowling Green (5/13-5/14) ,,, scored 3 runs, had 2 RBI and hit a home run in series against Maryland (5/8-5/9) ... 3-for-9 with 2 runs and 3 RBI in series at Ohio State (4/29-5/1) ... Was 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and 3 runs scored in win over Penn (4/13) ... 2-for-5 with four RBI, a double and a run scored in Lafayette win (4/12) ... Went 4-for-10 in two games in Nebraska series, scoring 3 runs, driving in two runs and hitting two doubles (4/8-4/10) ... Reached base in all three games at Penn State, including two multi-hit efforts. Went 2-for-4 in series opener and 2-for-6 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI in series finale (3/25-3/26) ... Went 1-for-4 with a walk in win at Rider (3/22) ... Had hits in all three games at Omaha, including back-to-back two hit games to open the series (3/18-3/20) ... Reached base three times on a hit and two walks in series finale at Hawaii (3/13) ... Added three runs in home opener versus Wagner (3/8) ... scored three runs with two RBIs at Richmond (3/5) ... hit two singles at Saint Joseph's (3/1) ... drew three walks with three hits, two runs and two RBIs in doubleheader sweep at UNCW (2/26) ... knocked in two runs at Coastal Carolina (2/25) ... led the team with eight hits in the season-opening sweep at Houston Baptist (2/18-20), including first career five-hit game with three RBIs in the middle game.
2021 (Redshirt Sophomore)
- Big Ten Baseball Preseason Honors List
Played in all 44 games with 42 starts (27 in right, 14 in center, one as designated hitter) ... led the offense with 54 hits, 12 doubles, five sacrifice bunts and 12 times hit by pitch ... tied for first with 14 multiple-hit games and six stolen bases ... had a team-high seven games with three or more hits ... ranked second on the team in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.403), runs scored (30) and plate appearances (201) ... added 21 RBIs and 13 walks ... handled 102 chances defensively without an error ... ended the season on a 17-game on-base streak and six-game hitting streak ... hit .390 with a .467 on-base percentage over the last 27 games ... reached base safely in 26 of last 27 starts ... connected for a two-run homer and two-run double to drive in four in rubber-game win over Illinois (5/29) ... delivered a two-out RBI double in the first win against the Fighting Illini (5/28) ... doubled twice, singled and scored two runs against Michigan State (5/23) ... picked up three hits, three runs and an RBI in the win at Penn State (5/16) ... went 3-for-5 versus Nebraska (5/10) ... recorded a pair of two-out RBI hits against No. 17 Indiana (5/7) ... delivered an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run double in the fourth to help complete the sweep at No. 19 Nebraska (5/2) ... picked up two hits apiece in the first two games against the Cornhuskers (4/30, 5/1) ... ripped a go-ahead, three-run double in the win at No. 17 Michigan (4/24) ... stole two bases and walked in the opener against the Wolverines (4/23) ... singled twice and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the tying run into scoring position in the comeback win over Iowa (4/18) ... reached base three times with a double in series opener versus Iowa (4/16) ... picked up nine hits in the series at Northwestern (4/9-11), including 4-for-4 in the opener, three with two steals in the middle game and two with an RBI single in the rubber-game win ... sparked the winning rally in the eighth inning versus Penn State (4/4) with a leadoff single ... doubled, hit by a pitch and scored twice in win at Purdue (3/26) ... went 3-for-5 with an RBI double, a run and a hit by pitch in the home opener against Ohio State (3/20) ... singled, hit by a pitch and scored twice in win at Maryland (3/13) ... scored three runs after reaching via two walks and a hit by pitch in the win at Minnesota (3/6) ... singled on Opening Day against Indiana (3/5) ... named to the 2021 Big Ten Baseball Preseason Honors List (3/4).
2020 (Redshirt Sophomore)
Started all 15 games in the outfield ... named Academic All-Big Ten (6/10) ... slashed .375/.478/.607 to pace the team in all three categories ... also led the offense with seven multiple-hit games, 21 hits, 15 runs, five doubles, 34 total bases and three stolen bases ... tied for first with 11 RBIs and five times being hit by pitch ... launched a pair of homers ... finished on a seven-game hitting streak and a 12-game on-base streak ... reached base in 14-of-15 games overall and had at least one hit in 12-of-15 ... doubled twice, drew an intentional walk and scored twice versus Monmouth (3/10) ... had a streak of reaching base safely in eight consecutive plate appearances in series at Old Dominion (3/6-8), recording six hits on the weekend ... homered in a 3-for-4 game versus Saint Peter's (3/4) ... drove in two runs and a stole a base in the win over Washington State (3/1) ... hit a three-run homer for first collegiate long ball, an RBI double, walked twice and score four times in home opener against Wagner (2/25) ... stole home on a first-and-third play at North Florida (2/23) ... went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, three runs and two RBIs in series opener against the Ospreys (2/21) ... hit a two-out RBI single at No. 3 Miami (2/15) ... picked up a single in Rutgers debut on Opening Day (2/14).
2019 (Sophomore)
Transferred to Rutgers for the fall semester ... sat out spring season due to NCAA transfer regulations ... eligible for 2020 season.
Maryland
2018 (Freshman)
Played in 17 games with 12 starts ... had a .326 on-base percentage ... picked up five hits, six RBIs, five walks ... scored seven runs ... went 2-for-4 with one RBI versus Stetson (3/25) ... singled, walked, stole a base and scored a run at Elon (3/21) ... hit a pinch-hit double against Ball State (3/4) ... made collegiate debut at Tennessee (2/18).
Prior to College: A three-year varsity player at Millburn High School ... helped team to its first New Jersey Group IV State Championship in 2015, and another in 2017 ... set Millburn's all-time career records in batting average (.449), hits (120) and runs scored (110) ... set Millburn's single season batting average record of .516 with 29 stolen bases, 33 RBIs, 34 runs scored and three homers as a senior ... named All-Metro, First Team All-State, First team All-Group IV, First team All-Essex County and earned Essex County Player of the Year in 2017 ... also Millburn High School Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2017 ... hit a two-run run homer in final at bat of high school career during state championship win ... after high school, played in the Cal Ripken College Baseball League ... hit .306 with a .368 on-base percentage.
Personal: Son of Rich and Susan Schiekofer ... father was
NY Daily News All-Star and First Team All-County for Rockland County ... uncle, Jim, played baseball and football for Arizona State and was teammates with Barry Bonds ... grandfather Rich Sichenzio, was a draft choice of the New York Yankees as an infielder from Staten Island ... has two older sisters, Emma and Jessie, and a westie dog, Ryder.
Know Your Knights
One word to describe Coach Owens: Determined
Favorite Rutgers athlete, past or present: Ray Rice
Best player ever competed against: Logan Gilbert
Major: Communication
I chose my major because: My family works in media.
Favorite place to hang out on campus: Chipotle
The people I most admire: My parents for always being there for me when I need them and supporting me in everything I do.
If I wasn’t playing baseball, I’d be: At the beach.
Favorite professional athlete: Christian Yelich
Favorite professional sports team: New York Yankees
One word to describe myself on the field: Focused
One word to describe myself off the field: Fun
Person who had greatest influence on my athletics career: My Dad
I started playing my sport because: I loved hitting since I can remember.
I chose Rutgers because: It’s the college of my home state and I wanted to represent New Jersey as best as I could.
Favorite cereal: Fruity Pebbles
The movie I have watched the most in my lifetime:
Neighbors 2
The best actor to play me in a movie: Zac Efron
Favorite musician/group: Avicii
The first song I knew all the words to: "I’m Not Afraid: - Eminem
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would win a gold medal at: Risk.
Famous people I have met include: Eli Manning, PK Subban
Favorite all-time gift received: Wood bat
Pet I had growing up: Dog
My favorite Halloween costume growing up: Gangster
The place in the world I would most like to visit: The Bahamas
My favorite teacher: Ms. McGarricle
The quote that most resonates with me: "Why does boiling water make eggs hard, but pasta soft?"
If I could choose any color when buying a new car it would be: Red.
My spirit animal: Silverback gorilla
One thing on my bucket list: Climb Mount Everest
Phone app you cannot live without: Spotify
What would you like to say to the R Fund donors who have provided for your scholarship and/or facility resources? Thank you very much for the support.
How has Rutgers and donor support changed your life? By giving me a chance to pursue my passion in baseball.
