NEWARK, DE -- Junior Alex Buchholz along with seniors Adam Tsakonas and Mike McGuire will serve as tri-captains of the University of Delaware baseball team, head coach Jim Sherman announced on Monday.

Buchholz, a third-team PingBaseball.com All-American last season, is just the second junior in the past six years to serve as captain. During the 2007 season, he earned the team’s Outstanding Offensive Player Award after leading the Blue Hens with a .387 batting average and 63 runs batted in.

During his career, Buchholz has posted a .383 batting average with 29 home runs and 127 RBI. Following his freshman campaign, he was named the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year and was also placed on the Baseball America All-Freshman team.

Tsakonas (at right), who was selected to the Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner’s Honor Roll, has been a starter in Delaware’s infield for the past three seasons. Last year, he hit .335 with seven home runs and led all infielders with a .980 fielding percentage.

In his career, Tsakonas has hit .305 with 23 home runs and 104 RBI. A CAA All-Rookie team selection in 2005, he has appeared in 148 career games for the Hens.

McGuire was a 43rd round selection of the Cincinnati Reds last year but decided to return for his senior season. One of the Hens’ top returning pitchers, he has appeared in 32 career games, including 26 starts.

During the 2007 CAA Tournament, McGuire picked up the win in the semifinals against Old Dominion after firing 8 1/3 innings of no-hit ball. For his performance, he was named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.

The three captains are the most for the Blue Hens since the 1998 squad was led by Matt Phillips, Brad Eyman, Andre Duffie, and Matt Ardizzone.

Last season, the powerful Delaware offense led the conference in home runs (67) and slugging percentage (.490). The Hens also finished third in batting average (.303) and fourth in on-base percentage (.380).

The Blue Hen pitching staff also had a successful season, leading the league in batting average against (.256), while finishing second in strikeouts (399), and third in earned run average (4.59).

Along with Buchholz, Tsakonas, and McGuire, the Hens return a solid corps of players led by closer David Slovak, who was a second-team All-CAA selection last year after setting the Delaware record for most saves in a season with 11. Head coach Jim Sherman also returns for his eighth season after being honored as the 2007 CAA Coach of the Year.