SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Mount Olive College pitcher Carter Capps, Cameron University outfielder Chase Larsson and University of West Florida head coach Mike Jeffcoat headlined the list of players who received National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II All-America honors.
Capps, a sophomore right-hander from Kinston, N.C., was selected as the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-America performer after compiling a perfect 14-0 record and 1.37 earned run average, striking out 124 and walking only 16 in 111.1 innings pitched for the Southeast Regional champion Trojans.
Larsson, a junior from Vancouver, British Columbia, was named as the NCBWA National Player of the Year and a first-team All-America performer after he batted .432 with 13 doubles, four triples, 29 home runs and 84 RBIs for the Aggies.
Jeffcoat, who is in his sixth season as UWF’s head coach, was named as the NCBWA National Coach of the Year after leading the Argonauts to a 49-9 record, the Gulf South Conference East and South Regional championships and a berth in the Division II national tournament.
Four of Jeffcoat’s UWF players earned NCBWA All-America honors, led by first-team outfielder and South Region “Player of the Year” Greg Pron. A trio of Argonauts was named to second-team status: Starting pitcher Daniel Vargas-Villa, relief pitcher Shane Waller and shortstop Brandon Brewer.
Larsson was one of three Cameron student athletes who earned NCBWA All-America honors. Second baseman Josh Dawson and outfielder Kenny Held each earned a second-team honor.
Capps was joined on the NCBWA All-America team by two teammates, first-team designated hitter/utility player Mike Knox and honorable mention third baseman Jacob Rogers.
A panel of Division II media personnel and sports information directors selected the NCBWA All-America Team. To be eligible for NCBWA All-America honors, a student athlete must be selected as a first-team NCBWA all-region performer. The National Pitcher of the Year, National Player of the Year and National Coach of the Year are selected from a pool of candidates who earned those honors in regional voting.
The complete 2011 NCBWA Division II All-America Team included:
FIRST TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Carter Capps, Mount Olive
Starting Pitcher: Dave Middendorf, Northern Kentucky
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Thompson, Franklin Pierce
Relief Pitcher: Sammy Rivas, St. Mary’s (Texas)
Catcher: Joe Maloney, Limestone
First Baseman: Dean Green, Barry
Second Baseman: Stuart Drew, West Georgia
Shortstop: Tanner Funk, Georgia College
Third Baseman: Kendall Boone, West Texas A&M
Outfielder: Chase Larsson, Cameron
Outfielder: Dodson McPherson, Wingate
Outfielder: Greg Pron, West Florida
Designated Hitter/Utility Player: #Mike Knox, Mount Olive
SECOND TEAM
Starting Pitcher: +Kirk Jewasko, Incarnate Word
Starting Pitcher: Daniel Vargas-Villa, West Florida
Starting Pitcher: Corey Witkowski, Barry
Relief Pitcher: Shane Waller, West Florida
Catcher: Brandon Choate, Southern Arkansas
First Baseman: +Nick DiBiasse, Central Missouri
Second Baseman: Josh Dawson, Cameron
Shortstop: Brandon Brewer, West Florida
Third Baseman: Logan Williams, Southern Arkansas
Outfielder: Kenny Held, Cameron
Outfielder: Matt Johnson, Arkansas Tech
Outfielder: Travis Taijeron, Cal Poly Pomona
Designated Hitter/Utility Player: Brandon Gipson, Benedict
THIRD TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Jeremy Gigliotti, East Stroudsburg
Starting Pitcher: +Blake Schwartz, Minnesota State
Starting Pitcher: #Tim Shibuya, UC San Diego
Relief Pitcher: Josh Pond, Cal State San Bernardino
Catcher: Michael Wiseman, Wayne State (Mich.)
First Baseman: Robert Kelly, Saint Anselm
Second Baseman: Garrett Yatch, Grand Valley State
Shortstop: Mike August, Millersville
Third Baseman: Jordan Smith, St. Cloud State
Outfielder: Andrew Durden, Nova Southeastern
Outfielder: +Cody Grice, Grand Valley State
Outfielder: Dillon Hazlett, Emporia State
Designated Hitter/Utility Player: Nathan Minnich, Shepherd
HONORABLE MENTION
Starting Pitcher: Chuck Fontana, Molloy; Ajay Meyer, Ashland; Don Sandifer, Francis Marion; Kyle Schepel, Grand Valley State; Randy Sturgill, California (Pa.). Relief Pitcher: Braxton Lewis, UNC Pembroke; Mitch Rossi, New Haven. Catcher: Mike Godwin, Wilmington (Dela.); Kyle Wager, Colorado State-Pueblo. First Baseman: Andrew Haake, Nebraska Kearney; Brian Yeung, Wingate. Second Baseman: Matt Kuchenbecker, Minnesota State; ^Carlos Leyva, Cal State Dominquez Hills. Shortstop: #Deryk Marks, Augustana (S.D.); Bret Schwartz, Central Missouri. Third Baseman: Tom Deangelis, Seton Hill (Pa.); Jacob Rogers, Mount Olive. Outfielder: #Nate Baumann, Augustana (S.D.); Mike Bisenius, Wayne State (Neb.); David Fox, Metro State; Matt Howard, Slippery Rock; Omar Velasquez, Adelphi. Designated Hitter/Utility Player: +Will Calhoun, Abilene Christian; Derek Ingui, Franklin Pierce; Jon Shoutta, Regis.
# 2010 NCBWA Second-Team All-America selection
+ 2010 NCBWA Honorable Mention All-America selection
^ 2009 NCBWA Honorable Mention All-America selection