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 Kenny Smith was named a consensus SoCon Player of the Year today as he was tabbed by the voting media. |
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May 24, 2007
Charleston, S.C. - A league-best seven Catamounts, including five on the first team, were recognized today as the Southern Conference Sports Media Association (SCSMA) announced its 2007 All-Southern Conference Baseball team. Senior second baseman Kenny Smith was again recognized as the league's Player of the Year, while head coach Todd Raleigh was selected as the Coach of the Year by the voting members of the media.
Smith was a consensus player of the year after earning the coaches' nod as the best player in the league this season on Wednesday. Smith led both the team and the conference with a .412 batting average, while also pacing the league with 79 RBI, five shy of tying the school-record (84, Chris Moore in 1999) and eight shy of tying the conference record (87, Chris Campbell, CofC - 2005). The Asheville, N.C., native, who was a two-time SoCon Player of the Week and Player of the Month in March, also hit a team-best 18 home runs for the Catamounts.
Raleigh, who led the Catamounts to a share of its 11th Southern Conference regular-season title all-time, was tabbed the league's Coach of the Year after guiding WCU to a 40-16 regular season mark, 20-7 record in conference play. It is the second time in Raleigh's eight-year coaching career at his alma mater that he earned the coaching honor, also garnering the award in 2002. A year later, Raleigh was tabbed the North Carolina Baseball Coaches' Association Coach of the Year after his Cats posted a 43-21 overall mark, 22-8 in league contests.
Raleigh's recognition is the seventh all-time for Catamount coaches as Bill Haywood was named 1981's top coach, with Jack Leggett garnering the honor in 1987. The late Keith LeClair was honored a school-best three times in 1992, '94 and 1997, with Raleigh's two in 2002 and '07 completing the list.
Western led the conference with seven players chosen to either the first-team or second-team, followed by co-regular season champion, College of Charleston with six. The Citadel, Davidson, Elon and Wofford had two players each recognized while Georgia Southern and UNC Greensboro had one player apiece honored.
Joining Smith on the first team as consensus all-conference selections were catcher Blake Murphy and pitchers Drew Saberhagen and Greg Holland. Preseason All-SoCon at third base, junior Jonathan Greene was named to the first team on the post-season squad in the outfield. Like Monday's coaches' voting, junior right fielder Steven Strausbaugh was named to the second team in the outfield where he was joined by senior first baseman, John Ingram.
Western Carolina (40-17) continues play in the 2007 Southern Conference Baseball tournament this afternoon at approximately 1:00 pm against the No. 6 Georgia Southern Eagles at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C. The Catamounts took two of three from GSU last weekend in Cullowhee, winning Thursday, 4-1, and on Friday with a come-from-behind, 8-3, victory. Georgia Southern, which is coached by former WCU player and coach Rodney Hennon who was a two-time All-SoCon selection for the Cats, prevented the sweep by winning Saturday's game, 5-2.
Every game Western plays in the 2007 SoCon Baseball Championship will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard locally in Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com.
2007 SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA) All-SoCon TeamFirst Team C - Blake Murphy (Western Carolina) 1B- Zach Brown (The Citadel) 2B- Kenny Smith (Western Carolina) SS- Oliver Marmol (College of Charleston) 3B- Brandon Waring (Wofford) OF- Jonathan Greene (Western Carolina) OF- Michael Harrington (College of Charleston) OF- David Rubinstein (Appalachian State) DH- Richard Jones (The Citadel) SP- Nick Chigges (College of Charleston) SP- Drew Saberhagen (Western Carolina) RP- Greg Holland (Western Carolina)
Second Team C- Alex Garabedian (College of Charleston) 1B- John Ingram (Western Carolina) 2B- Chris Campbell (College of Charleston) SS- Mike Gilmartin (Wofford) 3B- Ben Lasater (College of Charleston) OF- Steven Strausbaugh (Western Carolina) OF- Mike Economos (Georgia Southern) OF- Patrick Irvine (Elon) DH- Rob Wilson (Davidson) SP- Steven Hensley (Elon) SP- Ryan Falcon (UNC Greensboro) RP- Matt Webb (Davidson)
Player of the Year - Kenny Smith (Western Carolina) Pitcher of the Year - Nick Chigges (College of Charleston) Freshman of the Year - Richard Jones (The Citadel) Coach of the Year - Todd Raleigh (Western Carolina)
