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 Western Carolina's Kenny Smith was today named to the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-American second team by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. |
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May 30, 2007
2007 Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-American Baseball Teams
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Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina senior Kenny Smith was today named to the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I All-American second team at second base as both the honorary squads and National Players of the Year were announced today by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. Smith was listed on the second team behind ACC and National Player of the Year, Tony Thomas, from Florida State.
According to records, Smith becomes just the fourth Catamount all-time to earn the All-American title from Collegiate Baseball, and just the second, second team selection. Smith joins Catamount greats Matt Raleigh (1992, second team), Jason Beverlin (1994, third team) and Chris Moore (1999, third team) to receive accolades from the publication.
The consensus pick for Southern Conference Player of the Year by both the league's 10 head coaches and voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA), Smith led both the team and the conference with a .412 batting average during the regular season. He also paced 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). A two-time SoCon Player of the Week and Player of the Month in March, Smith also hit a team-best 18 home runs for the Catamounts.
The Asheville, N.C., native is vying to become just the 13th Catamount all-time to win the team's Triple Crown, currently leading the squad in batting average (.396), RBI (79) and home runs (18). As the conference's top player, he became the 14th different Catamount to garner the league's top individual honor, marking the 16th selection all-time in Western's history.
Smith was one of four players from the SoCon to earn honors from Collegiate Baseball as Wofford's Brandon Waring was tabbed first team at third base and both College of Charleston's Nick Chigges and Appalachian State's Adam Rubinstein garnered third team accolades as a pitcher and outfielder, respectively. Smith is also among the final 30 players remaining in the hunt for the 2007 Brooks Wallace College Player of the Year Award which is awarded to the top college baseball player.
Western Carolina (40-18) opens play in the NCAA Baseball Championship Chapel Hill regional this Friday, June 1 at 2:00 pm against the second-seeded East Carolina Pirates at Boshamer Stadium on the UNC campus. ECU (39-21), the runner-up in the Conference USA tournament which was held in Greenville, N.C., downed Western earlier this season, 3-2, in the Keith LeClair Classic tournament which was named in honor of the former WCU student-athlete and coach who also coached the Pirates.
Each game Western plays in the 2007 NCAA Baseball Championships will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network and can be heard in Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com. Air time is set for 1:45 pm with the first pitch at 2:00 pm.
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