July 12, 2011

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb announced the signing of infielder David Kerian (Dakota Dunes, S.D.) to a national letter of intent on Tuesday. Kerian is a switch-hitting infielder who was selected in the 42nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals and attends Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in Sioux City, Iowa.

"David is an athletic, switch-hitting infielder with the ability to play shortstop, third base or second base," said associate head coach Eric Snider, the lead recruiter on Kerian. "He has a solid gap-to-gap approach from both sides of the plate but has a little bit more pop from the right side. And he can really run."

Kerian holds the Bishop Heelan single-season home run record and the school record for career doubles. He currently is hitting a team-best .509 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 34 games for Bishop Heelan this summer. He also has 10 doubles, four triples, 51 runs and 14-of-14 stolen bases. He is slugging 1.047 with a .612 on-base percentage.

He is a seven-time letterwinner at Bishop Heelan in baseball, basketball and football, and helped the Crusaders' football team to the Iowa Class 3A state title game in 2010 as a wide receiver and cornerback. He caught 19 passes for 386 yards and rushed 16 times for 59 yards in 2010, scoring four touchdowns. He also recorded 88 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five interceptions and three interceptions returned for touchdowns. Kerian also averaged 13.9 yards per punt return and 24.8 yards per kickoff return.

Kerian is a two-time All-Missouri River Activities Conference selection in baseball and also earned all-conference honors once each in football and basketball. He helped the Crusaders' basketball team to consecutive Iowa Class 3A state titles in 2010 and 2011, going 22-4 in 2009-10 and 25-2 in 2010-11.

Kerian is the eighth player in the class of 2011, joining pitchers Josh Ferry, John Kravetz and Charlie Naso Jr., infielder Michael Hurwitz, infielder/outfielder Jordan Parr and outfielders Charlie Tilson and Chase Hainline.

David Kerian, IF
6-2 // 185 // S/R // Fr. // Dakota Dunes, S.D. // Bishop Heelan Catholic HS
Notes: Selected in the 42nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals ... Hitting .509 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 34 games during 2011 season ... Holds Bishop Heelan records for single-season home runs and career doubles ... Has earned seven letters in baseball, football and basketball ... Helped Crusaders to Iowa class 3A state titles in basketball in 2009-10 and 2010-11 ... Led Crusaders football team to Iowa class 3A state runner-up finish in 2010, catching 19 passes for 386 yards, recording 88 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, five interceptions and three interceptions returned for touchdowns ... Also returned kickoffs and punts ... Born Feb. 9, 1993 ... Parents are Steve and Tina Kerian ... Father, Steve, played baseball at Florida International University, lettering in 1980-81 ... Steve also played on the Team USA fastpitch softball squad, helping the team to a gold medal at the 1988 International Softball Federation Championships ... Steve is a member of the Iowa Men's Fast-Pitch Softball Hall of Fame, inducted in 1999 ... Has two brothers, Jeff and Matthew ... High school coach is Andy Osborne.