Junior outfielder Joe Costello (Ventnor, N.J./Holy Spirit) of Binghamton is the America East Player of the Week. Senior Jeff Dixon (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro) is the America East Pitcher of the Week. Pitcher Greg Norton (South Portland, Maine/South Portland) of Maine is the America East Rookie of the Week. The honors were announced by America East on Tuesday, March 25.
Costello has hit safely in 15 of 18 games and currently has an eight-game hit streak. He batted .733 (11-for-15) in a four-game set at Lehigh, collecting seven RBI. Costello has put together 3-, 4- and 5-RBI games, and has an .810 slugging percentage. A junior college transfer, he led the entire NJCAA Division III in hitting last season (.500) while playing for Cumberland CC (N.J.).
Dixon had a strong start to the 2003 season (after a poor year in 2002 due to arm trouble) picking up two wins and a save in Florida. In his lone start, he threw a complete-game (7 inn.) four-hitter to beat Bradley, 2-1, on March 18. He also came in to shut the door in top of the ninth vs. Ohio State and then picked up the win over the nationally-ranked Buckeyes after UVM rallied in the bottom half.
Norton has started his UMaine career 2-0 on the mound, picking up wins against Long Island and Fordham. In the 3-1 win over Fordham, Norton finished the game with six strikeouts, one walk and six hits in seven innings with no runs scored. In the 14-4 win over Long Island, Norton pitched seven innings, allowing four hits and walking none. Norton also struck out six batters and allowed no runs scored. In his first start, the Black Bears opener with Hartford, Norton struck out six batters and walked three in three innings of work.