Senior Kam Mickolio

June 6, 2006

OREM, Utah - Utah Valley State senior Kam Mickolio was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 18th round (531st overall) of Tuesday's Major League Baseball 2006 First-Year Player Draft.

He becomes the first NCAA baseball player at Utah Valley State to be drafted after the Wolverines' move to Division-I athletics during the 2003-04 school year.

"The best thing about Kam is that his best innings are ahead of him," said Utah Valley State assistant Eric Madsen. "He's gonna get a chance, now he's just got to go out there and prove it."

He is one of 14 pitchers selected by the Mariners on the first day of the draft and it remains to be seen where he will begin his professional career. Seattle's rookie league team is located in Peoria, Arizona and begins play June 22nd.

Mickolio was named to the Division-I All-Independent 2nd team after finishing 2006 with with a 6-6 record and a 5.30 ERA while leading the team in wins.

His 2006 season was highlighted by two shutout victories, with the first coming on March 17, 2006, an 8-0 win at Sacramento State in which Mickolio threw a five-hitter.

Then, on April 21, 2006 at the University of Nevada, he tossed a four-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over the Wolfpack. In the process Mickolio became the first single pitcher to throw a shutout in the history of Nevada's Peccole Park.

Mickolio was also drafted in 2003 by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 46th round after his freshman season while at Eastern Utah.