(Mankato, MN)—The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce freshman catcher Travis Howell from the University of California—Berkeley, was named as a 2005 Rawlings Silver Glove award winner for the Northwoods League.

Each season the Silver Glove is awarded annually to the NWL’s "Finest in the Field,” recognizing the League’s top fielders at each position. With only nine available awards, and over 360 players in the Northwoods League, this is one of the highest accolades a player can earn. The winners are selected based on final official fielding statistics compiled by League statistician Sports Ticker, a Bristol, CT based sports statistical service company.

This season Howell led Northwoods League catchers with a .987 fielding percentage, committing only four errors in 303 chances. He also threw out 33% of all potential base runners attempting to steal.

"When we started the season Coach Huffstetler and I were both very confident that we would have one of the best defensive catchers in the League in Travis,” MoonDogs general manager Kyle Mrozek said. "In a League where catchers can really control the game, it’s great to know we did and he proved that to everyone this summer.”

At 6’3”, 215 pounds Howell was an imposing force behind the plate. Using his body size and athleticism to knock balls down and hold his ground as runners tried to advance bases, Howell was a big reason the MoonDogs were successful this season. On the offensive side of the dish, Howell tied for fourth on the team in batting average (.278) and hits (49).

Howell becomes the third MoonDogs player to receive the prestigious Rawlings Silver Glove Award. Past winners included Minnesota State University—Mankato third baseman Jay Nessler and Garden City Community College first baseman Mike Dudley, both who received the award in 2003.

Elsewhere in the League, the 2005 champion Thunder Bay Border Cats had four players receive awards, the La Crosse Loggers had two, and the Duluth Huskies had the final recipient. Only two of the NWL’s post-season All-Stars received awards they were Thunder Bay third baseman Matt Mangini (NC State) and the Rochester Honkers second baseman Dan Lyons (U of Minnesota).

For more information please go to www.mankatomoondogs.com or call the MoonDogs ticket office at 507-625-7047.