Cregar is the 17th different Hilltopper in the program’s history to be named to an All-America team, and the first WKU offensive player to earn such honors since Matt Gunning in 2004. Starting pitchers Matt Ridings and Bart Carter were both named Freshman All Americans in 2007.
In his first year on the Hill, Cregar a 47th-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs finished with a team-high .360 batting average, and tied sophomore Wade Gaynor for the team lead in hits with 90. He also became the first Hilltopper since 1985 to hit 20 home runs in a season, finishing with 21 after his first-inning grand slam against TCU in the NCAA Regionals. That four-run shot also broke the WKU single-season RBI record as he finished the year with 82 three more than Mike Williams’ previous mark set during the 1980 campaign. He will enter his senior season on the Hill in 2009 needing five home runs and 57 RBI to move into WKU’s career top 10 in both categories.
He was named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, and was a first-team all-SBC selection in ’08. Cregar also earned a spot on the Sun Belt all-tournament team after helping lead the Hilltoppers to their second league tournament championship.
Cregar hit .500 (4-for-8) in WKU’s two games in the 2008 NCAA Regionals against #5 Oklahoma State and #18 TCU, earning all-tournament honors. That included a 3-for-4 effort against the Horned Frogs as he picked up a pair of doubles and a home run. He also scored a pair of runs on the weekend and finished with a 1.125 slugging percentage.
