BB: USAC: USA South Athletic Conference

[Will2Win]

Although everyone may think the ALL Conf teams are gonna be primarily SU/CNU boys....if the selection committee goes based exclusively on conference stats.....here's what the 1st team could possibly look like.

Coach of the year- J. Harvell CNU
Player of the year- Van Sickler SU /Brashears SU
Pitcher of the year- Van Sickler SU/ Goldsmith CNU
Rookie of the year- Steele CNU  S Davis MU....Missed him the first go round, much better in conference stats than Steele.

1st Team

C- Neeb SU or Such MU
1st- Beall SU .....Lindemuth CNU will be considered and may get on 1st team utility if he played another position or two this spring...
2nd- Toss up...no 2B had a standout year in conference games....Shoemaker CNU gets the nod
3rd- Newcombe AU or Alexander NC Wes.
SS- Krout SU or Rahm NC Wes. (Probably get s the nod as he is a SR)
OF- Madden CNU(Lock), Brashears SU (Lock), DeHaven SU or Higgins AU or Vernon CNU
Pitchers- Van Sickler SU, Goldsmith CNU, Britt MU , Scallion SU, Chitsaz CNU, Fleischmann CNU, Moyer AU, Crump FC, Cadle GC,
Utility- Van Sickler SU

[Boysofsummer21]

Agreed with most here is my guess at 1st team

Coach of the year- J. Harvell CNU
Player of the year- Van Sickler SU
Pitcher of the year- Van Sickler SU
Rookie of the year- Steele CNU

1st Team

C- Such MU
1st- Beall SU
2nd- Shoemaker CNU
3rd- Alexander NC Wes.
SS- Rahm NC Wes.
OF- Madden CNU, Brashears SU, Higgins AU
Pitchers- Van Sickler SU, Goldsmith CNU,
Relief - Fleischmann CNU
Utility- Van Sickler SU

[PNeal7]

I'm with you two on the majority.

Coach - Harvell (CNU)
Player - Van Sickler (SU) or Brashears (SU)
Pitcher - Van Sickler (although, let it be known I think Goldsmith should be it)
Rookier - Steel (CNU) or Davis (MU)

C - Such (MU)
1b - Beall (SU) or Lindenmuth (CNU)
2b - Shoemaker (CNU)
SS - Rahm (NCWC)
3b - Nelson (SU)
OF - Madden (CNU), Brashears (SU), Crump (FC)
Utility - Van Sickler (SU)
DH - Dorton (FC) or Keener (CNU)
SP - Van Sickler (SU), Goldsmith (CNU)
Relief Pitcher - Fleischmann (CNU)

I'm not sure at other positions, but the OF is certainly stacked in the USAS. In addition to those guys above, you've got Vernon (CNU), Higgins (AU), Thigpen (MU), and DeHave (SU); all of which had really, really good seasons.

[D-BAT]

Is there an article out about the Piedmont move?  I can't find anything on their site or the GSAC site. Will they join after SU leaves after the 2012 season?

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.- The USA South Conference announced Monday that Piedmont College has accepted an invitation to join the conference as a full member beginning in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Because Shenandoah University is departing the USA South following the 2011-12 academic year, the conference needed to add another full member to retain NCAA tournament automatic qualification for each of its 14 sports.

Piedmont is located in Demorest, Ga., and is currently a member of the Great South Athletic Conference.

USA South is still awaiting word from two other Great South schools that were extended full membership offers by the presidents of the USA South institutions.

LaGrange College and Maryville College must inform the USA South if they accept the offer by May 1. If both accept, they would begin play within the USA South during the 2012-13 academic year.

[hokieone]

Great addition, and their baseball stadium is a beautiful place!  It's worth the trip by itself.  It would be helpful if some other Atlanta area schools joined to make travel easier, and to give Piedmont some shorter trips.  Emory would be a good fit but no idea if there is any interest.

[narch]

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.- The USA South Conference announced Monday that Piedmont College has accepted an invitation to join the conference as a full member beginning in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Because Shenandoah University is departing the USA South following the 2011-12 academic year, the conference needed to add another full member to retain NCAA tournament automatic qualification for each of its 14 sports.

Piedmont is located in Demorest, Ga., and is currently a member of the Great South Athletic Conference.

USA South is still awaiting word from two other Great South schools that were extended full membership offers by the presidents of the USA South institutions.

LaGrange College and Maryville College must inform the USA South if they accept the offer by May 1. If both accept, they would begin play within the USA South during the 2012-13 academic year.

whoa...that's big...if m'ville and lagrange accept invites, i anticipate cnu will likely leave for the cac...they might even if the others don't join - if cnu leaves, the usasac will be fine with regard to AQ status in all sports as long as m'ville and lagrange join

[narch]

here are mine...

Coach - Anderson (SU)
POTY - Van Sickler (SU)
PiOTY- Van Sickler (SU)
ROTY - Davis (MU)

C - such (MU)
1b - beall (SU) (amazing conference-only numbers)
2b - shoemaker (CNU)
SS - inghram (MU)*
3b - nelson (SU)
OF - madden (CNU), brashears (SU), higgins (AU)
UT - van sickler (SU)
DH - thigpen (MU)
SP - van sickler (SU), chitsaz (CNU) (i don't think you can be an all-conference first teamer if you aren't a legit #1 on your own team...hence chitsaz over goldsmith)...also considered britt here, but chitsaz has better numbers and out-pitched britt head-to-head
RP - fleischmann (CNU) (pitched in 9 of 12 conference games, with 11 ip, 4 saves and 0 er...impressive)

*i see inghram getting the nod at ss...he is better defensively than rahm (.963 fld%, 120 asst, 7 errors vs. .908/84/13), he's got more speed (12 sb vs. 2...1 vs. 0 in conference) and despite a lower ba (.331/.282 vs. .339/.378), he drove in more runs overall (26 vs. 21...5 vs. 6 in conference) and scored more runs (33 vs. 24...8 vs. 9 in conference) for a team that didn't finish next-to-last in conference play (note the use of overall numbers...a practice i normally eschew unless the conference-only numbers are very close)

i'm not positive that the usasac even names a dh as all-conference, but my last OF slot was between higgins and thigpen...i went with higgins because he's got more speed than thigpen (although that's really the only offensive advantage he has over thigpen) and put thigpen in the dh slot since he actually dh'd for the monarchs a good bit - i gave keener and dorton a look at dh, but their conference-only numbers were very comparable to thigpen, but their overall numbers weren't nearly as impressive, so overall numbers "broke the tie" in my mind (plus, he's a monarch and i'm a bit biased)

[Will2Win]

here are mine...

Coach - Anderson (SU)
POTY - Van Sickler (SU)
PiOTY- Van Sickler (SU)
ROTY - Davis (MU)

C - such (MU)
1b - beall (SU) (amazing conference-only numbers)
2b - shoemaker (CNU)
SS - inghram (MU)*
3b - nelson (SU)
OF - madden (CNU), brashears (SU), higgins (AU)
UT - van sickler (SU)
DH - thigpen (MU)
SP - van sickler (SU), chitsaz (CNU) (i don't think you can be an all-conference first teamer if you aren't a legit #1 on your own team...hence chitsaz over goldsmith)...also considered britt here, but chitsaz has better numbers and out-pitched britt head-to-head
RP - fleischmann (CNU) (pitched in 9 of 12 conference games, with 11 ip, 4 saves and 0 er...impressive)

*i see inghram getting the nod at ss...he is better defensively than rahm (.963 fld%, 120 asst, 7 errors vs. .908/84/13), he's got more speed (12 sb vs. 2...1 vs. 0 in conference) and despite a lower ba (.331/.282 vs. .339/.378), he drove in more runs overall (26 vs. 21...5 vs. 6 in conference) and scored more runs (33 vs. 24...8 vs. 9 in conference) for a team that didn't finish next-to-last in conference play (note the use of overall numbers...a practice i normally eschew unless the conference-only numbers are very close)

i'm not positive that the usasac even names a dh as all-conference, but my last OF slot was between higgins and thigpen...i went with higgins because he's got more speed than thigpen (although that's really the only offensive advantage he has over thigpen) and put thigpen in the dh slot since he actually dh'd for the monarchs a good bit - i gave keener and dorton a look at dh, but their conference-only numbers were very comparable to thigpen, but their overall numbers weren't nearly as impressive, so overall numbers "broke the tie" in my mind (plus, he's a monarch and i'm a bit biased)

Good call on that one....I had no idea he was a freshman and didnt bother to look him up. He deff has better conference numbers than Steele. He should be awarded it before Steele, but that may not happen as Steele manned the middle and had a decent rookie year for the #2 #4 team in the nation as a freshman...

[Boysofsummer21]

here are mine...

Coach - Anderson (SU)
POTY - Van Sickler (SU)
PiOTY- Van Sickler (SU)
ROTY - Davis (MU)

C - such (MU)
1b - beall (SU) (amazing conference-only numbers)
2b - shoemaker (CNU)
SS - inghram (MU)*
3b - nelson (SU)
OF - madden (CNU), brashears (SU), higgins (AU)
UT - van sickler (SU)
DH - thigpen (MU)
SP - van sickler (SU), chitsaz (CNU) (i don't think you can be an all-conference first teamer if you aren't a legit #1 on your own team...hence chitsaz over goldsmith)...also considered britt here, but chitsaz has better numbers and out-pitched britt head-to-head
RP - fleischmann (CNU) (pitched in 9 of 12 conference games, with 11 ip, 4 saves and 0 er...impressive)

*i see inghram getting the nod at ss...he is better defensively than rahm (.963 fld%, 120 asst, 7 errors vs. .908/84/13), he's got more speed (12 sb vs. 2...1 vs. 0 in conference) and despite a lower ba (.331/.282 vs. .339/.378), he drove in more runs overall (26 vs. 21...5 vs. 6 in conference) and scored more runs (33 vs. 24...8 vs. 9 in conference) for a team that didn't finish next-to-last in conference play (note the use of overall numbers...a practice i normally eschew unless the conference-only numbers are very close)

i'm not positive that the usasac even names a dh as all-conference, but my last OF slot was between higgins and thigpen...i went with higgins because he's got more speed than thigpen (although that's really the only offensive advantage he has over thigpen) and put thigpen in the dh slot since he actually dh'd for the monarchs a good bit - i gave keener and dorton a look at dh, but their conference-only numbers were very comparable to thigpen, but their overall numbers weren't nearly as impressive, so overall numbers "broke the tie" in my mind (plus, he's a monarch and i'm a bit biased)

Agree on the Chitsay versus Goldsmith but Goldsmith had better numbers. As for Fleischmann 4 saves and 2 wins! and did it against each team.
As for the outfield there are so many good ones that I don't think you are wrong with any of the choices. Shortstop I had Rahm because of rep mostly.

[PNeal7]

I would agree with you all on Davis; he did have exceptional numbers, and better numbers in conference. However, taking into account manning one of the toughest positions defensively, and finishing in the top 5 overall in the conference in RBI, Steel had a heck of a year as well.

I disagree on the Goldsmith issue. He certainly deserves to be 1st Team, and deserves high consideration for pitcher of the year voting.

[narch]

I would agree with you all on Davis; he did have exceptional numbers, and better numbers in conference. However, taking into account manning one of the toughest positions defensively, and finishing in the top 5 overall in the conference in RBI, Steel had a heck of a year as well.

i won't disagree re: playing ss...but for a run producer, he didn't produce runs when it really counts (conference) - almost 25% of sergio davis' rbi's came in conference, and less than 10% of steel's rbi's came in conference - seeing what he did as a frosh at ss makes me believe that he could be pretty special before all is said and done

      avg   r   hr   rbi   ops   sb
steel   overall   0.320   27   2   33   0.869   1
   conf   0.250   4   0   3   0.622   0
                     
davis   overall   0.366   26   0   17   0.873   5
   conf   0.295   6   0   4   0.763   0

I disagree on the Goldsmith issue. He certainly deserves to be 1st Team, and deserves high consideration for pitcher of the year voting.

we'll agree to disagree, but if you're a first-team all-conference pitcher, that means you're one of the 2 best pitchers in the league...unless the #1 on your team is the other 1st teamer, i don't think a #2 should be first-team all-conference unless the numbers are through the roof

[Boysofsummer21]

Ok here it is hot off the presses!

The 2011 USA South Baseball All-Conference Team:



First Team

1B - Nick Beall - Shenandoah
2B - Matt Shoemaker - Christopher Newport
3B - Quinn Finnegan - Greensboro
SS - Kurt Krout - Shenandoah
C - Keaton Neeb - Shenandoah
DH - Steven Keener - Christopher Newport
Util - Greg Van Sickler - Shenandoah
OF - Kevin Brashears - Shenandoah
OF - Adam Higgins - Averett
OF - Connor Madden - Christopher Newport
P - Greg Goldsmith - Christopher Newport
P - Greg Van Sickler - Shenandoah
RP - Ryan Fleischmann - Christopher Newport

[Will2Win]

Coach of the Year- K. Anderson  (SU)
Player/Pitcher of the Year- G. Van Sickler (SU)
Rookie Player of the Year- S. Davis (MU)
Rookie Pitcher of the Year- M. Judge (MU)


SU reigns supreme....


Oh, and the future seems bright for MU...

[PNeal7]

Big surprise to me at 3b. I don't see how the GC kid is deserving over a number of other 3b's in the conference.

[narch]

wow...based upon the apparent lack of talent on the mu squad, it's amazing they finished 3rd in the conference...perhaps coach austin should have been named coty for the miracle he performed

such deserved 1st team by a hair over neeb for his superior power numbers, but that really is splitting hairs...neeb can play

i overlooked krout...he clearly was the top ss statistically, but i think that inghram is better than rahm or jaglowski...amazed that inghram wasn't 2nd team, let alone not even an hm selection

keener vs. thigpen at dh is questionable, as well - here are the numbers:
thigpen
overall: .385, 36 r, 4 hr, 30 rbi, 1.032 ops
conf: .326, 10 r, 1 hr, 7 rbi, .824 ops

keener
overall: .291, 19 r, 4 hr, 20 rbi, .994 ops
conf: .269, 4 r, 2 hr, 9 rbi, 1.066 ops

i see little difference in these 2 in conference contests (keener has more hr's and rbi's and a higher ops, but not by much...while thigpen scored a lot more runs and had a much higher ba) – in that case, i think you have to look at overall numbers, and there really isn't much comparison between the two there...