BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM UNANIMOUS PICK (2016)
2016 (FRESHMAN)
Awards: Big Ten All-Freshman Team (1B) ... Big Ten Player of the Week (3/21) and two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week (3/21, 4/18). Season: Finished second on the team with 34 RBIs despite not appearing in 19 games ... Played in 39 games with 36 starts spread between first base (18), third base (7) and designated hitter (1) ... Posted a .250 batting average with a .302 on base percentage for the season. Vs. Monmouth (2/19): Made debut as a pinch-hitter. Vs. Army (2/20): Made first career starts in a doubleheader, also tallying first hit and RBI. At UNCW (3/7): Went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a triple to help the team achieve a 5-4 win in the series finale. Niagara (3/18-19): Named both the Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Week after leading Penn State to a series victory over Niagara ... First Nittany Lion to receive the conference player of the week honor since 2012 ... Drove in six runs runs, batted .636 (7-for-11) and scored four times in the three games ... Accounted for all three runs in series opener driving in two with a double and having one score on a ball he put in play ... Best game was in the series finale when he went 4-for-4 with four runs, three RBIs and two walks. Rhode Island (3/23): Drove in two runs with a single up the middle with two outs in the fourth inning that proved to be the game-winners ... Started season-high six-game hitting streak that spanned missed games due to injury. At Illinois (3/26): Despite cracked ribs, pinch-hit a bases clearing double in the top of the ninth to lead team to a 5-3 victory in the series finale. Bucknell (4/13): Drove in a run in return from injury. At Northwestern (4/15-17): Came back from injury going 6-for-11 with a run, four RBIs and a home run in the series sweep ... Was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for a second time ... Extended hitting streak to six games. At Kent State (4/20), at Rutgers (4/22-24), Kent State (4/27): Assembled a five-game hitting streak highlighted by a 2-for-4 performance with two RBIs and a double at Kent State. At Pitt (5/11): Drove in two going 1-for-4 with a double and sacrifice fly. Summer: Hit four home runs in 33 games to tie for eighth in the Cape Cod League.
2015 CUBA TRIP
Started three of the four games (Industriales, Ciego de ¡vila and Matanzas) of the Cuba Baseball Friendship Tournament at third base.
HIGH SCHOOL
Played high school baseball for head coach Chris Kiehl and travel baseball (Tri-State Arsenal) for Jeff Mazzola and Bobby Barth ... Concluded prep career at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. ... Hit .405 with six home runs and 31 RBIs as a junior ... 2012 and 2013 Second Team Underclass All-American by Perfect Game ... 2014 Perfect Game All-American ... Selected to play in the 2014 Area Code Games ... Ranked the No. 72 player nationally and No. 4 in Pennsylvania by Perfect Game.
PERSONAL
Full name is William Leander Burger ... Born in Greenwich, Conn. ... Parents are Thomas and Elizabeth Burger ... Father, Thomas, played football at Duke and grandfather, Thomas, played football at Maryland ... Has four brothers, Thomas, Matthew, Tyler and Grant ... Majoring in communication arts and sciences.