Dec. 14, 2007

Duquesne University baseball coach Mike Wilson recently announced the signings of five players for the 2009 season. Rick Devereaux (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny), Jim Devine (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic), Brad Duffy (Fombell, Pa./Vincentian Academy), Michael Pelekanos (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and Chris Vergos (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) will enroll at Duquesne next fall.

"From top to bottom, this may be the best recruiting class Duquesne has ever had," said Wilson.

Devereaux, a catcher, was a member of the Post-Gazette West All-Star Team as well as being named a Tribune-Review Player of the Week. His 2007 team went 23-0 in winning the WPIAL championship, before falling in the state play-offs.

Devine pitched his way to a 3-0 record as a sophomore and was a member of the 2007 Post-Gazette All-Section team as a junior, striking out 40 batters in 31 innings with a 2.90 ERA. His team finished 2007 at 12-7 and made an appearance in the WPIAL play-offs.

Duffy is a three-year letterman and two-time All-Section choice at Vincentian. His team has been to the play-offs all three years and won section titles in 2005 and 2006.

Pelekanos is a three-year letterman and All-Section honoree for 2006 section champion Franklin Regional. In addition, he was named the pitcher of the year for the Bulldogs in the Western Pennsylvania Elite Baseball League.

Vergos will be a utility player for the Dukes. He has played on the Keystone Games team as well as the Beaver Valley Red Sox in the Western Pennsylvania Elite Baseball League.

The Dukes open the 2008 season on Friday, Feb. 22 as they travel to Florida State for a four-game series.