June 6, 2012

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University All-American Goose Kallunki was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 27th round (pick 825) of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday, capping a storybook senior season for the Orem native.

As a senior, he led Utah Valley to its third straight Great West Conference regular season and tournament titles and to a school-record 47 wins, including a 32-game winning streak.

"To hear my name called is a dream come true," said Kallunki, the first Wolverine to be selected by the Padres organization. "All the hard work and sacrifice has paid off and I'm thankful and anxious for the opportunity to play professional baseball."

Kallunki, who leads the nation with 86 RBIs, was named a Louisville Slugger First Team All-American and the Great West Conference Player of the Year. He is also among 35 semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy and was one of 30 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award.

He is also among the nation's leaders in batting (.419), home runs (18), slugging percentage (.734), OPS (1.215), hits (96), and total bases (168).

Kallunki is the fourth UVU player selected since 2006 and the highest since Kam Mickolio was selected in the 18th round by the Seattle Mariners. Several other Utah Valley players could also sign professional contracts soon.