News

Helm, an infielder from Centerville, Ohio, has decided to further his education and continue his baseball career at MVNU. As a junior at Dayton Christian School, he posted a .472 batting average with 28 runs batted in, 10 doubles, and two triples in 22 games and was named to the All-Area First Team. Helm, who will start his fourth season on varsity this spring and serve as a team captain for the second year, holds the school RBI record of 42 and batted .513 as a sophomore.

"I feel that Zack is a great fit for our program and institution," said MVNU head coach Keith Veale. "He is a quality player who has already received postseason recognition after his junior year. He has had a number of quality baseball experiences in high school and in summer programs around the Dayton area. We are glad that he has chosen to further his education and baseball career here at MVNU. He will have the ability to compete for a couple of infield positions. We expect him to be a positive contributor to our program."

In addition to his accomplishments on the baseball diamond, Helm has also excelled in the classroom. He has been on the honor roll at Dayton Christian all four years, and has been selected to the National Honor Roll.

"There are several reasons why I chose MVNU," said Helm of his college choice. "I wanted to receive a Christian education and gain a closer relationship with God. I also wanted to mature for the future. MVNU has a strong baseball tradition, and I wanted to continue to learn the game to its fullest extent."

MVNU posted a 38-11 overall record in 2002 and finished as the NAIA Region IX Tournament runner-up for the third straight year. The Cougars are ranked 30th in the 2003 NAIA preseason poll. The program has had 12 players drafted by Major League teams in the past 20 years beginning with Tim Belcher, the top pick overall in 1983. Four other players have also signed professional contracts.