KEENE,N.H. 4/14/09 - Keene State's Jamie Chevalier was presented with his Gold Glove, emblematic for being the top fielding second baseman in Division III prior to the Owls game against Plymouth State last week.

Chevalier was one of nine Division III players named to the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove team last season. The junior second baseman from Amherst, N.H. posted a fine .980 fielding percentage making just five errors in 256 opportunities while helping the Owls turn a program high 49 double plays this past season.

"It's quite an honor," said Chevalier, the first Owl to receive the award. "I've always taken a lot of pride in my defense."

"I've had the opportunity to watch Jamie the past three seasons and I can honestly say there's no better fielding second baseman out there," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. "And other coaches who've seen him play say the same thing."

Ironically, Chevalier also ended up playing a different position for the Owls.

As a freshman, Chevalier had his sights set on getting the starting nod at shortstop for the Keene State baseball team. He appeared to have all the credentials for the job after a standout career at Souhegan High.

But so did Ryan Jones, another first-year player who had flashed the leather playing shortstop at Nashua High School.

With two strong candidates, KSC Coach Ken Howe decided the best course of action was to make his team strong up the middle. He put Jones at short and moved Chevalier over to second base.

"I was upset at first, but Coach Howe sat me down and told me it was for the good of the team," said Chevalier. "I accepted that and worked hard to be the best at my new position."

Howe factored in many things before making his decision. "We were also thinking of using "Chevy" on the mound and saving his arm the 60-feet might help him long term," he said.

Chevalier teamed with Jones and centerfielder Jeff Perkins to give KSC solid defensive play up the middle. Jones, who earned All-LEC honors as a sophomore, turned out to be one of Chevalier's biggest supporters.

"I never saw anyone make such a smooth transition," said Jones. "Chevy had good hands, quickness, and a strong arm. "He was the whole package."

A good student in the classroom, Chevalier, a two-time All-LEC pick, has also mastered the art of positioning himself in the field. It's not uncommon to see him playing deep on the grass, taking a bullet off the bat of a hard-hitting left handed hitter and gunning him out at first.

"I try to cover as much ground as I can," said Chevalier who can also handle the quick bang-bang play to get a speedster going down the line.

An all-around player, Chevalier also played a key role in the Owls' first Little East Tournament title and second straight NCAA berth at the plate and on the mound. Hitting third in KSC's explosive line-up, Chevalier batted .355 with a couple of home runs, 34 RBIs, and a team-high 15 doubles. A key set-up man and spot starter, Chevy appeared in 15 games, posting a 4-3 record with a 5.30 ERA. He got the win in the first game of a doubleheader sweep over Southern Maine, tossing six innings of five hit ball as the Owls claimed their first LEC crown.