2012 ALL-GAC BASEBALL RELEASE (PDF)
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – With just a day remaining before the beginning of the inaugural Great American Conference Baseball Championship Tournament, the league revealed a list of 48 student-athletes that have been named to the first-ever All-GAC baseball squads.
In addition to the 17-player first team, 16-player second team and 15-player honorable mention list, the league also revealed its yearly award recipients for baseball. Arkansas Tech junior first baseman Jonathan Finnegan (Fort Worth, Texas) was named the league’s inaugural player of the year, while Southern Arkansas University, the league’s inaugural regular season champion, swept the remaining three awards.
SAU senior starter Doug Shields (Mesquite, Texas) was named the pitcher of the year, catcher Ryan Dardenne (Pine Bluff, Ark.) was named the freshman of the year and Steve Browning earned coach of the year honors.
The All-GAC baseball squad and yearly awards were nominated and voted upon by the league’s nine head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.
ATU’s Finnegan currently leads the league in batting average (.414), slugging percentage (.772), homeruns (12) and total bases (125), while ranking in the top five of four other GAC offensive categories.
SAU’s Shields went 8-1 in the regular season with a 2.73 earned run average. He made 12 starts, threw six complete games, threw one shutout and combined for two more, struck out 73 and walked just 13 in 89 innings of work. Teammate Ryan Dardenne hit .299 in his first collegiate season with 44 hits in 147 at bats. He tallied 14 doubles, four homeruns and drove in 38 runs.
SAU head coach Steve Browning was voted the league’s first coach of the year after leading the Muleriders to a regular season record of 32-14, including a 17-7 mark in conference games. SAU is currently ranked fifth in the latest NCAA Division II South Central Regional Rankings and has received mention throughout the season in the Collegiate Baseball News Top 25 Poll.
The Muleriders lead the league with a total of nine all-conference honorees. In addition to Shields, SAU’s other first team honorees include sophomore starting pitcher James Baune (Rockwall, Texas), junior third baseman Brady Capshaw (Keenedale, Texas), senior shortstop Trey Buck (Crosby, Texas), senior outfielder Jason Dahl (Batesville, Ark.) and junior outfielder Rafael Thomas (Lufkin, Texas). SAU placed two additional team members on the second team and one on the honorable mention list.
Arkansas Tech trails closely with a total of eight All-GAC honorees, including first team honorees Finnegan and senior catcher Landon Sullins (Valley Springs, Ark.).
Ouachita Baptist is next with seven honorees – three second team picks and four honorable mentions. The Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State earned six all-conference picks, including three first team honorees – junior starting pitcher Brandon Marris (The Colony, Texas), junior reliever Cameron Mann (Tupelo, Okla.) and senior outfielder Blake Gentry (Pocolo, Okla.).
Henderson State follows with five honorees, including three on the first team. HSU’s first team picks are senior starting pitcher Brittain Diamond (Sulphur Springs, Texas), junior outfielder Josh Salmon (Marshall, Texas) and senior utility infielder Adam Ussery (Jacksonville, Ark.).
Southwestern Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello each earned a total of four all-conference selections. Two of SWOSU’s honorees landed spots on the first team. SWOSU’s first teamers are senior second baseman Andre Yates (Grenada, Miss.) and senior third baseman Jeremy Soliday (Ft. Collins, Colo.). UAM earned two second team selections and two honorable mentions.
East Central closes out the inaugural All-GAC first team with its selection of senior designated hitter Rick Hepworth (Round Rock, Texas). The Tigers also earned two honorable mentions.
Harding wraps up the field with a pair of honorable mention selections.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jonathan Finnegan, JR, 1B, Arkansas Tech
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Doug Shields, SR, Southern Arkansas
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ryan Dardenne, C, Southern Arkansas
COACH OF THE YEAR: Steve Browning, Southern Arkansas
ALL-GAC FIRST TEAM
SP – Doug Shields, SR, Southern Arkansas (Mesquite, Texas)
SP – James Baune, SO, Southern Arkansas (Rockwall, Texas)
SP – Brandon Marris, JR, SE Oklahoma State (The Colony, Texas)
SP – Brittain Diamond, SR, Henderson State (Sulphur Springs, Texas)
RP – Cameron Mann, JR, SE Oklahoma State (Tupelo, Okla.)
C – Landon Sullins, SR, Arkansas Tech (Valley Springs, Ark.)
1B – Jonathan Finnegan, JR, Arkansas Tech (Fort Worth, Texas)
2B – Andre Yates, SR, SW Oklahoma State (Grenada, Miss.)
3B – Jeremy Soliday, SR, SW Oklahoma State (Ft. Collins, Colo.)
3B – Brady Capshaw, JR, Southern Arkansas (Keenedale, Texas)
SS – Trey Buck, SR, Southern Arkansas (Crosby, Texas)
OF – Jason Dahl, SR, Southern Arkansas (Batesville, Ark.)
OF – Rafael Thomas, JR, Southern Arkansas (Lufkin, Texas)
OF – Blake Gentry, SR, SE Oklahoma State (Pocola, Okla.)
OF – Josh Salmon, JR, Henderson State (Marshall, Texas)
DH – Rick Hepworth, SR, East Central (Round Rock, Texas)
UT – Adam Ussery, SR, Henderson State (Jacksonville, Ark.)
ALL-GAC SECOND TEAM
SP – Brice Williams, SR, SE Oklahoma State (Bartlesville, Okla.)
SP – Aaron Luchterhand, SR, Arkansas Tech (Brisbane, Australia)
SP – Cole Stephens, JR, SW Oklahoma State (Sanger, Texas)
SP – Ryan Westover, SR, Ouachita Baptist (Littleton, Colo.)
RP – Justin Thomas, JR, Southern Arkansas (White Oak, Texas)
C – Tom Ward, SR, Ouachita Baptist (Gold Coast, Australia)
1B – David Allday, SR, Southern Arkansas (Texarkana, Texas)
2B – Taylor Eaves, JR, Arkansas-Monticello (Beaumont, Texas)
3B – Nate Wilder, SR, Arkansas Tech (Lincoln, Neb.)
SS – Kevin Phillips, SR, SE Oklahoma State (Collinsville, Okla.)
OF – Keegan Ghidotti, SO, Ouachita Baptist (Elizabeth, Colo.)
OF – Madison Beaird, JR, Arkansas Tech (Russellville, Ark.)
OF – Peter Bako, SR, SE Oklahoma State (Mississauga, Ontario)
OF – Danny Loya, JR, Arkansas-Monticello (El Paso, Texas)
DH – Thomas Biocic, JR, Arkansas Tech (Fort Smith, Texas)
UT – Chris Reese, SR, Arkansas Tech (Gilbert, Ariz.)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
SP – Lucas Waddell, JR, Harding (Ladner, British Columbia)
SP – Zak Anstine, JR, Arkansas Tech (Holden, Mo.)
SP – Nathan Eller, JR, Henderson State (Sherwood, Ark.)
SP – Shane Martin, JR, SW Oklahoma State (Weatherford, Okla.)
RP – Zac Treece, SR, Ouachita Baptist (Hot Springs, Ark.)
C – Ryan Dardenne, FR, Southern Arkansas (Pine Bluff, Ark.)
1B – Brock Green, SR, Ouachita Baptist (Hot Springs, Ark.)
3B – Josh Chism, SR, Arkansas-Monticello (Mooreville, Miss.)
SS – Christian Gallegos, JR, Arkansas-Monticello (Corpus Christi, Texas)
OF – Kyle Atkins, JR, Harding (DeQueen, Ark.)
OF – Conner Brackhahn, SO, Henderson State (Sulpur Springs, Texas)
OF – Gilbert Guardado, JR, East Central (San Diego, Calif.)
OF – Ethan Gold, SO, East Central (Round Rock, Texas)
DH – McCrae Jones, SO, Ouachita Baptist (Kaufman, Texas)
UT – Parker Norris, FR, Ouachita Baptist (Lucas, Texas)
THE BREAKDOWN
Total All-Conference Honorees: 48
Southern Arkansas: 9 (6 first team, 2 second team, 1 HM)
Arkansas Tech: 8 (2 first team, 5 second team, 1 HM)
Ouachita Baptist: 7 (3 second team, 4 HM)
Southeastern Oklahoma State: 6 (3 first team, 3 second team)
Henderson State: 5 (3 first team, 2 HM)
Southwestern Oklahoma State: 4 (2 first team, 1 second team, 1 HM)
Arkansas-Monticello: 4 (2 second team, 2 HM)
East Central: 3 (1 first team, 2 HM)
Harding: 2 (2 HM)