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 Western Carolina senior Kenny Smith was named to the All-State Baseball Team by the NCCSIA. |
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June 7, 2007
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina senior Kenny Smith was one of 12 individuals representing seven different schools selected to the North Carolina College Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) University Division All-State Baseball Team. Smith was one of three players selected from the Southern Conference on the honorary squad.
The fourth-annual team consists of NCAA Division I student-athletes from North Carolina colleges and universities. North Carolina sports information professionals submitted the nominees and NCCSIA members voted for the all-state teams, which consist of two pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders and one designated player.
Smith, who was the consensus Southern Conference Player of the Year this season, became just the 13th different Catamount in WCU history to earn the school's Triple Crown by leading the team in batting average (.390), home runs (20) and RBI (84). With the latter number, the Asheville, N.C., native tied the school's single-season RBI total previously held alone by Chris Moore (1999).
In addition to garnering first team All-Southern Conference accolades, Smith was also named to the NCAA Baseball Chapel Hill Regional All-tournament team after hitting .316 with a pair of home runs, a double and five RBI in four games. He was additionally named a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from North Carolina's NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions for the purpose of promoting college athletics in the state. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina whose responsibilities include sports information.
NCCSIA selects all-state teams in the university (NCAA Division I) and college (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, softball and baseball. Over 450 student-athletes have been recognized on all-state teams since 2003.
2007 NCCSIA All-State Baseball Team (University Division) Pos. Name Cl. School Hometown C Kris Rochelle SR Charlotte Richmond, Va. IF Nate Freiman SO Duke Wellesley, Mass. IF Charlie Gamble* SR NC A&T Pleasant Garden, N.C. IF Steve Halford SO UNC Wilmington Raleigh, N.C. IF Kenny Smith SR Western Carolina Asheville, N.C. OF Brad McElroy SR Charlotte St. Thomas, Ontario OF Jimmy Gallagher JR Duke Pittsburgh, Pa. OF David Rubenstein SO Appalachian St. Charlotte, N.C. DH Rob Wilson SR Davidson Charlotte, N.C. SP Tony Bajoczky SR Duke Tallahassee, Fla. SP Adam Mills SR Charlotte Big Pool, Md. RP Michael Seander FR Duke Pawtucket, R.I.
