NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Research conducted by polling all sports information directors at NCAA Division III schools confirmed that Westminster College junior baseball player Nick Maiorano (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) held the longest hit streak in the nation during the 2008 season.

Maiorano hit safely in 35 straight games and was tops amongst three players with at least a 30-game streak and 16 players with at least a 20-game streak during the 2008 season. Maiorano will carry his hit streak into his senior season in 2009. The longest hit streak behind Maiorano’s that will carry over to next season is 27 games by Brian Kolb of Wheaton College in Illinois.

Maiorano’s 35-game hit streak ranks ninth all-time in NCAA Division III history. The all-time record is 60 games by Damian Costantino of Salve Regina from 2001-03. Jose Fulgencio of New Jersey City was the last player to exceed Maiorano’s current streak as he hit safely in 40 straight games ending on March 16, 2008.

During the 2008 season, Maiorano hit .318 (48-151) with 23 RBI and a .383 on-base percentage. Westminster compiled a 24-16 record and qualified for the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) tournament for a second straight year.

LONGEST RECORD CONSECUTIVE GAME HITTING STREAKS IN DIVISION III HISTORY
Player School Year (s) Streak
Damian Costantino Salve Regina University 04/04/2001-03/10/2003 60
Corey Breyne Aurora University 1996-98 46
Jason Armstrong Trinity University (TX) 2004 42
Tony DeLude Delaware Valley College 05/05/2000-03/09/2002 41
Jose Fulgencio New Jersey City University 03/25/2007-03/16/2008 40
Steve Smith Bridgewater State College 03/11/2005-03/10/2006 40
Brad O’Connell Wisconsin-Stout 04/29/2000-05/05/2001 37
Jay Quintana Mary Washington 2003-04 36
Nick Maiorano Westminster 03/16/2008–present 35
Brian Dolewski Aurora University 2002-03 34
Dan Rieck Simpson College 03/27/2004-05/21/2004 34