Baseball | 6/14/2017 2:52:00 PM

Boston, Mass.----Wingate University junior left-hander Kory Behenna (Bahama, N.C.) has been drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 25th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft, officials announced Wednesday afternoon. Behenna was the 761st overall pick.

"I want to thank God first and foremost for the opportunities He has given me," Behenna says. "Baseball is a game which has been very dear to my heart. It has been a dream of mine to play professionally since I was five years old. For this dream to come true, words can't express the joy I have. I can't thank Wingate University enough, along with coach Gregory and the staff, for all the time and commitment they have poured into my three years and the help they have provided me to this point. Roll 'Dogs!"

This marks the third straight year a Wingate player has been drafted and the fourth in the last six years. All-American outfielder Dodson McPherson went in the 30th round of the 2012 draft, while Thomas Spitz was taken by the Cardinals in the 32nd round in 2015. Two-time All-American Shane Billings went in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, also going to the Cardinals. Spitz is currently with the Palm Beach Cardinals, the Class A advanced affiliate of the Cardinals, while Billings is with the Peoria Chiefs, the Single A affiliate of St. Louis.

"We are very happy for Kory on being selected by the Red Sox in this year's draft," head coach Jeff Gregory says. "He has worked extremely hard to get to where he is and it is a very well-deserved honor. It couldn't happen to a better person."

Behenna made 14 appearances out of the Wingate bullpen during his junior season in 2017, finishing second on the team with a 3.92 ERA. He finished fifth in the SAC with four saves, while piling up 31 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings of work, walking just six. Behenna held opponents to a .241 batting average in 2017. His best performance came at ninth-ranked Mount Olive, when he struck out nine in 3 1/3 innings without allowing a hit, earning the save while helping the Bulldogs collect a league-record 20 strikeouts.

Behenna made 10 starts during his sophomore season while also making five relief appearances, going 3-3 in 2016. He registered 45 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings of work on the year, tossing a complete-game five-hitter in the win against Bloomsburg. He struck out seven in seven innings of work to lead Wingate to a 5-1 win over Carson-Newman.

Behenna went 2-0 as a freshman, making 16 appearances including seven starts, posting a 4.66 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings of work. He struck out four in 2 1/3 innings of work to get the win at LMU. Behenna did not allow an earned run in 5 2/3 innings against Tusculum, while striking out six in five innings to get the win at Anderson. He struck out five in 2 2/3 perfect innings at Georgia Southwestern, while striking out three in 1 1/3 innings at Mount Olive.

Behenna made 40 appearances during his three years with the Bulldogs, going 5-3 while adding four saves. He totaled 127 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings of work in his career.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,200 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 11 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 93 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 93 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 102 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.