For starters: A 2007 All-America candidate…Among the most accomplished players in NJCU history…Has professional baseball talent…Among the most feared leadoff hitters on the East Coast…In two years, has played and started 71 games…A 2007 co-captain…His career average is .390 (103-264) with 91 runs and 54 RBIs, with 24 extra-base hits (12 doubles, eight triples and four homeruns)…Successful in 54-of-61 steal chances…Had 49 career walks and only 33 strikeouts…His .390 average and .488 on-base rate entering the season is third all-time…In NJCU history, he ranks fifth in steals, sixth in slugging percentage (.542), and eighth in runs scored in only two seasons of action…He enters the 2007 season needing 26 steals, 42 runs and 65 hits to become the all-time leader in each category, well within striking distance as a sophomore…Could only become the all-time leader in doubles and triples with 16 and 11 more, respectively…Can play all three outfielder positions…During November and December 2006, Sumner dressed as Mickey Mouse during several community service events as part of the Student Athlete Advisory Board project “8 Days of Happiness for New Jersey Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centers.”
2006: Had a standout sophomore campaign, earning five post-season honors for excellence during the 2006 baseball season…Was named as a First-Team ECAC Division III Metro Baseball All-Star by the Eastern College Athletic Conference in voting by the region’s head coaches…Selected First-Team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference, First-Team All-State by the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association, and Second-Team Mid-Atlantic NCAA Division III All-Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)…Also chosen All-Area Division III by Gotham Baseball (gothambaseball.com)…First NJCU player selected First-Team All-ECAC since 1994…First NJCU player named First-Team All-NJAC since 1999…Tabbed the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) Division II/III Player of the Week on March 14, 2006…On April 29 against Rowan, he became the 25th member of NJCU’s prestigious 100-hit club and swiped a single-season school record 40th base in 45 attempts…Became only the second player in NJCU history to collect 100 hits in two years and the first to accomplish the feat as a sophomore…Overall, he played and started in all 40 games last year, batting .410 (59-144) with 45 runs…Collected 87 total bases, highlighted by 18 extra-base hits—10 doubles, six triples, two homeruns (one inside the park)…Tallied 24 RBIs in the leadoff slot…Walked 28 times and hit by two pitches…Struck out only 15 times, less than once in every 10 at bats…Led the nation in total steals in late April, before finishing the year ranked fourth nationally in total steals and sixth in steals per game (1.00)….He also ranked 37th in Division III in triples per game (0.15) in the final national statistical report… Achieved a .506 on-base rate and .604 slugging percentage…His fielding percentage was .971 with only two errors all season in 69 chances…Had 63 putouts and four outfield assists…Sumner’s 40 steals is a single-season record, eclipsing the previous mark of 34 in 1995…The 40 games played and started tied a record, while the 45 steal attempts also set a new standard…(04/24): Named New Jersey City University Male Athlete of the Week...His 45 runs were the second most in school history, one behind the 46 he achieved in 2005…With 59 hits, he tied for second on NJCU’s single-season charts…In the final NJAC standings of the 2006 season, Sumner ranked among the Top 5 in the league in five categories, listing second in steals, steal attempts, on-base percentage, tied for second in triples, and fourth in batting average…Totaled 21 multiple-hit games, nine more than any other NJCU player…Had five games with at least three hits…Had five multiple-RBI games, with a high of four…Uncorked an eight-game hitting streak during the season…Never batted outside of the leadoff slot…Started 17 games in left field, 13 in right, and 10 in center…Had a .446 average (25-56) with runners on base and .514 (36-70) with two outs…Hit both right-handers (.414, 48-116) and lefties (11-28, .393) equally well…Batted .667 (8-12) with a runner on third and less than two outs and .432 (16-37) with runners in scoring position…Had a 60.6 percent success rate (40-66) in advancing runners…On the single-season list, his 144 at bats tied for third all-time…Also lists tied for third in intention walks (3), fifth in total bases (87), and 10th in walks.
2005: Broke a 19-year old school record by scoring 46 runs as a rookie…Previous record was 41 set in 1986…Voted the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-CUNYAC…Selected Honorable Mention All-Association of Division III Independents…Named to the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) Division II/III All-State Rookie Team…Tabbed NJCBA Rookie Player of the Week on April 25…Finishing fourth in the nation with 1.48 runs per game…Batted .367 (44-120), with 30 RBIs, two doubles, two triples, two homeruns and 56 total bases. He was 14-for-16 in steals and walked 21 times while enjoying a .465 on-base percentage…Had a 15-game hitting streak during the season, tying Carlos Suarez for the season high…Led the team in runs, walks, and steals, ranked second in hits, tied for third in RBIs, fourth in total bases, tied for fifth in triples and homeruns, and was sixth in average and on-base percentage…Batted a stifling .511 as a leadoff hitter in an inning (24-47) and .765 (13-17) with a runner on third and less than two outs…Hit .417 against lefties (5-12)…A good pressure player, he batted .409 during RBI opportunities (18-44) and 12-for-31 (.387) with two outs…Collected 12 multiple-RBI games…Had his 15-game hitting streak snapped at Rutgers-Newark on April 13…Belted a career-high five RBIs in NJCU’s 13-0 win over John Jay College on may 1…Twice scored four runs in a game…Hit his first career home-run in the top of the 10th inning at Stevens on March 25, but NJCU lost 4-3…In four games against Staten Island and D’Youville College on April 10-11, he finished a remarkable 10-for-18 with seven runs…Ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation in runs scored and 22nd in stolen bases in early May.
Summer League: Was a standout for the Union Senior American Legion baseball team in 2005…Club began the year with a 9-1 record
High School: A June 2004 graduate of Union High School in Union, NJ…Played four years of baseball for the Farmers, including two on the varsity level for Coach Mike Hamberg…Selected Second-Team All-Union County, batting .456 as a senior…A high school teammate of current NJCU players Ruben Borges, Tom Cruder, and Rob Motacki.
Personal: Robert J. Sumner…Born October 9, 1986 in Rahway, NJ…Nickname is Rob…Parents are Gayle and Bob Sumner…Has a 15-year-old brother, Jared Sumner, who also plays baseball at Union High School…Major at NJCU is Media Arts…Bats and throws right handed…Lists Lance Armstrong as a hero…Notable places he has visited include Idaho…Describes himself as having a strong work ethic, and the desire to both learn and win.
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Favorites:
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Hobbies/interest:
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Weightlifting, basketball
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NJCU Class:
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Civ. II
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Hero/Idol:
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Rich Tandy
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Sports Team:
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New York Mets
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Song:
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“Creep” by TLC
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Music Artist:
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Lil' Wayne
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Movie:
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“Pirates of the Caribbean”
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Food:
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Salad
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What do you like most about NJCU?:
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“It’s far enough, yet close enough to home”
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2008 Highlights: (03/06 vs. Muhlenberg College at Russ Matt College Spring Break Invitational): Who already is the school’s all-time runs leader, tied the career record for stolen bases with 79 in 94 chances. Started off the season right as he went 1-for-3 with one run and one steal. With 156 hits, he’s just 11 behind the school's record of 167... (03/07 vs. Aurora College): Entered the game with 79 career stolen bases, swiped two bags in a 2-for-4, one RBI effort to break the all-time career stolen base record of 79 he had shared with Phil Zaffarano (1994-97). With 158 hits, he’s just nine behind Zaffarano’s school record of 167... (03/10 vs. Coe College): The lone NJCU player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with the only run for the Knights. The two hits give him 162 in his career, moving into second place in program history... (03/11 vs. Wheaton College (IL)): Had one hit in each game of the twinbill to give him 164 for his career—just three behind matching the school record of 167... (03/12 vs. Coe College): Led off the bottom of the first with his 12th career homerun, and finished with two hits, giving him 166 for his career. Overall he finished the game 2 for 6 with two runs... (03/13 vs. Penn State Altoona): 2-for-4 to become the all-time leader in hits in the 61-year history. Currently he has a seven-game hitting streak of his own and has reached base in 13 consecutive games, broke the all-time career record with his 168th hit, eclipsing the mark of 167. He already owns the program record for runs scored and stolen bases and is closing in on the mark for total bases... (04/01 vs. John Jay College): Combined for 2-for-2 with three runs and three RBIs as he played in his first game since March 15. After entering as a pinch runner in the fifth inning, he scored three times to give him 150 career runs, extending his own program record. He had five total bases in the game to give him 250 for his career, 19 shy of the school record. Additionally, he smacked a three-run homer in the eighth inning, his third of the year and 13th of his career... (04/03 vs. Manhattanville): Scored three runs and posted two steals... (04/17 vs. Montclair State): Used his speed to generate a two-run inside-the-park homerun in the fourth that ignited NJCU’s eight-run inning. The round-tripper was his fourth of the year and the 14th of his career, moving him into sole possession of second place in school history and gave him 99 career RBIs, one shy of becoming the second player in school history to reach the century mark. He already NJCU’s all-time leader in hits (181), runs (157) and steals (93), and closing in on the marks for games played and started, is on the verge of yet another all-time mark. He now had 267 total bases—two shy of the mark of 269... (04/18 vs. Kean): Became the program’s all-time leader in total bases and the second player in school history to notch 100 career RBIs. 2-for-5 with two runs, had an RBI triple in the ninth inning to become the second player with 100 career RBIs. That triple gave him 271 career total bases, breaking the mark of 269 by Hall-of-Famer. He also accomplished a rare feat when he scored from second base on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning...(04/19 at Ramapo College): Went 3-for-5 with two runs... (04/25 at Rutgers-Newark): Drilled his 15th career homerun, as he finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs and two walks. He increased his all-time program record to 189 hits with five games remaining and played in his 133rd career game—one shy of the career program mark of 134 by Nick Cucinello (1990-93). It was his 22nd career multiple RBI game... (04/26 vs. Rutgers-Camden University): Combined 5-for-9 with three runs. He broke his fifth and sixth career program records by playing in his 136th game while starting for the 134th time, snapping the marks of 134 and 133 by Nick Cucinello (1990-93). He also batted for the 500th time in his career and now with 508 needs two more to break yet another career mark. He has 195 career hits, giving him a chance for 200 with two games remaining. Finished 2-for-4 and 3-for-5 with two runs, a double and triple in the nightcap......(05/01): Selected to the 2008 All-New Jersey Athletic Conference Honorable Mention Team as a outfielder in voting by the league’s 10 head coaches. This award comes at the end of a record-breaking career during which he established himself as perhaps the greatest all-around offensive presence in program history. He is NJCU’s all-time leader in seven categories—hits (195), runs (169), total bases (290), steals (96), steal attempts (114), games (136) and starts (134). Additionally, he is second all-time in homeruns (15), RBIs (104), at-bats (508, one shy of all-time mark), fourth in on-base percentage (.475) and walks (86), tied for fourth in triples (14), fifth in batting average (.384) and sixth in slugging (.571). Overall this season in 28 games (26 starts), Sumner hit .367 (40-109) with 33 runs, 15 RBIs, five homeruns, three doubles and three triples while compiling 64 total bases and 13 walks, with 18 steals in 21 attempts. He owned a .587 slugging and .440 on-base percentage and had a .957 fielding rate. As a leadoff hitter he led the club in homers. The NJCU leader in steals, he was also tied for the team lead in runs, ranked fourth in hits and tied for second in triples. Overall in the NJAC regular season statistical leaders, Sumner ranks tied for fourth in steals, fifth in steal attempts, 10th in average against righties (.415), tied for 11th in triples, 12th in slugging, tied for 12th in homers, 17th in average, 18th in percentage reaching as a leadoff hitter (.531), and tied for 21st in on-base percentage. Additionally, he listed second in slugging, third in average against righties (.488), tied for third in triples and hits per game (1.71), fifth in on-base percentage, eighth in total bases, tied for eighth in steals, tied for ninth in homers, tied for 12 th in steal attempts, 14th in percentage advancing runners (.625), 15th in leadoff percentage (.560), 16th in bases empty average (.457), tied for 19th in hits, and tied for 20th with runners on (.381). Sumner hit safely in 12 of 14 NJAC games and had eight multiple-hit and six multi-run outings. In his career, Sumner is a two-time selection to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team in 2006 and 2007 and a 2006 NJCBA Division II/III All-State First Team choice. He was a third-team All-State pick in 2007 and a member of the 2005 NJCBA All-Rookie Team. In 2006, he was named First-Team All-ECAC Metro and First-Team All-NJAC. On March 22, 2007 he was the second player in school history named the Division III National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association. In 2005, he was the CUNYAC Rookie of the Year and a First-Team All-CUNY selection in NJCU’s only year in that conference... (05/03 at The College of Staten Island): Had five runs and five stolen bases, to break the century mark in swipes, he already was the school’s all-time leader in steals, entered the doubleheader with 96. He swiped three in game one and two in game two, to become the first NJCU player to reach the century plateau. He also broke the all-time program record for career at-bats with 512. In all, Sumner leaves NJCU as the all-time leader in eight categories—hits (196), runs (174), total bases (291), at bats, steals (101), steal attempts (119), games (138) and starts (136)...
2007 Highlights: (03/12 vs. University of Scranton at Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic): Batted 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double in the 8-2 win.Posted a .621 on-base percentage and a 1.320 slugging percentage at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic and extended his hitting streak to 13 games dating back to last season...(03/19): Named New Jersey City University Male Athlete of the Week...(03/19): Named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week for Week 4 of the 2007 season and the New Jersey Collegiate baseball Association Division II/III Player of the Week. After batting .560 (14-25) with 14 RBIs, 10 runs, five homeruns and four douvles in six games. Through 10 games this season, Sumner is batting .541 (20-37) with 16 runs, five doubles, five homeruns, one triple and 15 RBIs. He has walked eight times and struck out on only three occasions, while stealing six bases in nine opportunities... (03/20): Named New Jersey City University Male Athlete of the Week...((03/22): Earned the top award offered in collegiate baseball, as he is named the Division III National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association. He is only the second player in NJCU history to be named National Hitter of the Week. Also he has been named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro Player of the Week and Gotham Baseball Magazine Division I, II, III Player of the Week... (03/27 vs. College of Mount Saint Vincent): Went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases (12th of the year), two runs, and one RBI, extending his hitting streak to 16 games dating to the end of last season and his season batting average to .540 (27-50)... (03/29 at Suny-Farmingdale): Went 3-for-5 in game one, with three RBIs, to extend his hitting streak to 17 games dating to last season, but had his run snapped in the second game when he went 0-for-4. He was one of two players with multiple RBIs, adding his 13th steal and second triple of the year—a two-run drive in the sixth inning of game one... (03/30 at Rutgers-Newark): 2-for-3 with two RBIs, one run, and his 14th steal of the year, upping his batting average to .516 after 16 games... (03/31 vs. William Paterson University): Stole his 15th base for the season... (04/03 at John Jay College): 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, two walks, his sixth homerun of the year, and a triple securing the win for the Knights...(04/09 vs. United States Merchant Marines Academy): 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs...(04/11 at Lehman College): 1-for-4 with three runs scored, his 32nd RBI, and two steals, bringing his season total to 18...(04/19 vs. Ramapo College): Scored twice...(04/20 at Kean University): In the first inning, he walked and later came around to score his 36th run of the season when Fulgencio extended his streak in style—by smacking a 1-1 pitch over the fence in right-center for a 2-0 lead....(04/21 at Rutgers University-Camden): Scored his 39th run of the season—seven shy of breaking his own single season record, and added two steals for an NJAC best 21 overall. With three runs in two games, he moved into second place in NJCU history with 130, passing Sean Costello (1984-87, 128 runs). He needs three more to break the program record of 132. Also he notched his 150th career hit, becoming just the fifth NJCU player to do that. He also moved into fifth place in career RBIs (88) and bagged his 75th career steal—four shy current record of 79... (04/24 vs. Baruch College): Went 3-for-3 and scored three times to become NJCU’s all-time leader in runs with 133. He finished with three runs and one RBI, giving him 133 runs in three seasons. That eclipsed the program record of 132 by Phil Zaffarano from 1994-97. Sumner also swiped two bases, giving him 23 this year and 77 in his career—three shy of breaking that all-time record...(04/26 vs. Montclair State University): Hit a sacrifice fly to move up teammates on base......(4/30 vs. Kean University): Scored his 45th run of the season, marking the second straight year he has tallied that many runs after setting the school single-season record with 46 in 2005...(05/17): Voted New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association Division II/III Third-Team All-State...(05/17): Voted to the 2007 NCAA Division III/ ABCA Second-Team All-Mid Atlantic Region All Star team by the American Baseball Coaches Association...
