DATE: June 8, 2004

NEWARK, DE -- University of Delaware senior righthanded pitcher Mike Mihalik was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 40th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Tuesday afternoon.

Mihalik, a 6-3, 210 lb. senior from Allentown, PA (Parkland High School), was the lone Blue Hen player selected in the annual draft and was the 1,202th overall selection. Delaware has had at least one player selected in the annual draft each of the last four seasons and in seven of the last eight drafts. Mihalik is the first Blue Hen player drafted by the Phillies since Vince Vukovich was selected in the 20th round in 2001. Vukovich is currently playing in Clearwater with the Phillies' A affiliate.

Delaware had two players selected last season when pitcher Mark Michael was picked in the third round by the St. Louis Cardinals and infielder Kris Dufner was a 38th round pick of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Mihalik capped an outstanding career in 2004 as he led the Blue Hens to a record of 34-22 and a sixth place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association standings. The Hens, led by head coach Jim Sherman, advanced to the CAA Tournament and advanced to the final day before losing to eventual champion UNC Wilmington in the championship round.

A co-captain, Mihalik appeared in 17 games for the Blue Hens and started a team-high 15 games while completing two. He also led the team with 104.1 innings pitched and also recorded a team-high 98 strikeouts. He posted a 5-3 record and a 4.24 earned run average. He finished his career with a record of 19-14 and set a UD career record with 274 strikeouts. He also ranks No. 4 all-time in games pitched (61) and fifth in innings pitched (302.1) at Delaware.

A Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee, Mihalik earned his degree in geology and geography from Delaware in May and earned the University's ECAC Medal of Merit as the male senior letterwinner with the highest grade point index (3.58). He also was named UD's Student Services for Athletes Outstanding Contributor Award and the baseball team's Perry Burkett Triple Play Award for leadership and special contributions to the team.