Paul Painter was one of the top freshman players in the New Jersey Athletic Conference last season, when he hit .304 with five runs, two home runs and 11 RBIs in 21 games (11 starts). He also captured a pair of NJAC Rookie of the Week honors.

        Painter made his collegiate debut when he started a game at Hampden-Sydney College Feb. 23. In his next start, he collected his first collegiate hit, going 1-for-4 against Albright College March 3. That contest sparked a four-game hitting streak which saw him go 6-for-13 (.462) with one run, two RBIs, a double and a home run. His home run, a sixth-inning solo shot to right field, came against Wabash College (March 9), tying the game at 3-3 in a contest the Raptors eventually won, 5-4.

        Painter had his first multiple-hit game March 10, going 2-for-5 against Alvernia, and then added another two-hit game the next day in the nightcap of a doubleheader against national powerhouse Johns Hopkins University. He went 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI and seven putouts while handling the catching duties in that game.

        On of Painter’s finest games came against DeSales University (March 24) when he went 2-for-3 with a double, one run, a walk and three RBIs. One of the RBIs came on a sacrifice fly. That performance earned him the NJAC Rookie of the Week award for March 26.

        Painter collected his first three-hit game against John Jay College of Criminal Justice (April 24), going 3-for-5 with one double, one run and two RBIs. He also added one of his two stolen bases for the season.

        In his final game of his freshman year, Painter went 3-for-5, missing a cycle by only a triple as he collected a single, a double and a home run (a two-run shot in the third inning) against William Paterson University (May 1). He had one run and three RBIs, while also adding three putouts defensively. That game earned him the NJAC Rookie of the Week honor for May 7.

        Painter earned five varsity letters at Highland Regional High School, including four in baseball for Coach D.J. Gore, and one in cross country. He was a three-time All-Tri-County Conference Royal Division ballplayer at Highland, earning Second Team honors as a sophomore (2003) and a senior (2005) and capturing First Team honors during his junior year in 2004. He also participated in the Carpenter Cup. During his last two seasons, Painter was named to the Courier-Postnewspaper’s All-Group 3 First Team each year.

        In addition to baseball, Painter enjoys surfing.

        A Mathematics major at Rutgers-Camden, Paul is the son of Janel Painter of Blackwood.