LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- For the first time in his college career, sophomore catcher Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Athlete of the Week, as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.

Burns had a spectacular weekend at the plate in Kutztown's first PSAC East series win of the season over Lock Haven. The Harry S. Truman product went 8-for-17 over the four games with eight RBI, four runs, and two extra-base hits. In a 12-7 game two victory, Burns knocked home a single game career-high four RBI.

The Levittown native has thrived in 2024 after taking over the starting catcher role, leading KU with a .402 batting average (T-7th in the PSAC) and 35 hits while adding 20 RBI (T-2nd on KU). Burns is also one of the hardest batters to strike out on KU this season, with only nine strikeouts in 28 games.

It's the first weekly award of any kind for the Golden Bears in 2024 and the first since Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) was named PSAC East Pitcher of the Week back on March 27, 2023.

Burns and the Golden Bears are back in action tomorrow, Tuesday, April 9 at 3 p.m. on the road at CACC foe Jefferson. KU matches up with Shepherd in a critical PSAC East four-game set this weekend.