SoCon Baseball Postseason Awards Announced

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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced the 2024 baseball all-conference teams and individual honors on Tuesday, which were voted on by the league’s eight head coaches and the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA). Regular-season SoCon champion UNCG claimed two of the four individual superlatives selected by both groups.
 
Samford right-hander Michael Ross was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year by both the coaches and media, while first-year UNCG head coach Cody Ellis earned Coach of the Year honors from both. Spartan first baseman/designated hitter Caleb Cozart was the coaches’ choice for SoCon Player of the Year, while the media selected ETSU first baseman Cameron Sisneros.
 
Wofford catcher Daniel Jackson was both groups’ choice for SoCon Freshman of the Year.
 
Samford’s Ross, who was recently named as a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, which is college baseball’s top
individual honor, is the Bulldogs’ second consecutive SoCon Pitcher of the Year honoree. The Lakeland, Florida, native recently tied Samford’s school record for wins in a single season and became just the 13th player in league history to earn 12 wins in a single season. He was honored as SoCon Pitcher of the week three times this season and owns a league-best 2.82 ERA. Ross is second in the SoCon with 89.1 innings worked over 14 starting appearances on the mound. Ross has fanned 83 batters, while walking just 18 and has limited opposing hitters to a .235 batting average. The senior enters postseason play after allowing 78 hits on the season, just 21 of which went for extra bases. Ross struck out at least nine batters in five starts this season, highlighted by a nine-inning complete-game effort against The Citadel on April 5. Ross becomes Samford’s second Pitcher of the Year selection by the coaches and the third by the media.
 
In just his first year at the helm, Ellis led UNCG to its third SoCon regular-season title and first since 2018, with a 33-19 overall mark and a 15-6 league record. The Spartans dropped just one league series all season and enter the postseason having won eight of their last 11 regular-season contests and 10 of their final 12 conference games. UNCG will be the No. 1 seed in this week’s SoCon Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases.

In addition to mentoring the coaches’ SoCon Player of the Year, Ellis saw his squad claim eight All-SoCon honors from both the coaches and the media, with Cozart earning first-team honors from both organizations as a designated hitter and second-team recognition at first base. Senior catcher Mitchell Smith was named first team by the coaches, with shortstop Aidan Brewer capturing second-team honors from both the coaches and media. Junior right-hander Rob Ready earned first-team recognition from the coaches and second-team distinction from the media, while sophomore hurler Hunter Shuey collected first-team honors from both organizations. Right-hander Julien Peissel was named Second-Team All-SoCon by both groups and sophomore reliever Grant Aycock earned first-team recognition from the media. Ellis is UNCG’s third Coach of the Year selection and first since Link Jarrett took the honor from both the coaches and media in 2018.

UNCG’s Cozart, who was also named as a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, was a two-time SoCon Player of the Week honoree this season. He paced the Spartan offense and ranked 19th in the league with a .331 batting average. He drew a starting nod in 51 contests this season and owns the UNCG single-season program record after belting 22 home runs on the year.  A native of High Point, North Carolina, Cozart needs just one home run to move into a tie for ninth place for home runs in a single season in SoCon history. He is second in the conference with a .762 slugging percentage and ranks second in RBIs with 72. Cozart posted a 15-game hitting streak and reached base safely over a 36-game span earlier this season, knocking in multiple runs in 19 games this season and recording multiple hits 17 times. The first baseman/designated hitter has committed just one error and owns a .993 fielding percentage, while picking up 11 assists. Cozart drove in a season-best six runs on Feb. 18 against Fairfield and posted a season-high four hits in the Spartans’ 12-4 win over Wofford on April 5. He has hammered two home runs on four occasions this season. Cozart is UNCG’s second Player of the Year pick by the coaches in three seasons.
 

ETSU’s Sisneros has started all 52 games at first base for the Bucs this season and is tied for eighth in the league with his .360 batting average. The Littleton, Colorado, native recorded an 18-game hitting streak during the season and has reached base safely in every contest. He paced ETSU by driving in multiple runs in 20 games, including equaling a program record with eight RBIs in the Bucs’ 15-8 win at Wofford on May 11. Sisneros notched 20 multiple-hit games, including eight with at least three hits. He leads the Bucs in runs scored (58), home runs (21), RBIs (78), total bases (150) and slugging percentage (.750) and is tied for the team lead with 15 doubles and 45 walks, while ranking second on the squad in hits (72) and on-base percentage (.484). Sisneros is ETSU’s second Player of the Year pick by the media and the first since Caleb Moore (2004).

Wofford’s Jackson started 44 games for the Terriers during the regular season, including 31 behind the plate and 13 as the designated hitter. He ranks in the top-10 in the league with a .363 batting average this season. The rookie from Sandy Springs, Georgia, who earned second-team All-SoCon honors as a catcher, posted a 14-game hitting streak during the season and enters the postseason having reached base safely in 41 consecutive games. He posted 18 multiple-hit games and drove in at least two runs in 16 contests, including a season-best five in Wofford’s 8-5 road win over Samford last Friday (May 17).  Jackson has totaled eight doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 58 RBIs on the year. His batting average and on-base percentage (.456) rank fifth among regulars in the potent Wofford offense. Jackson is Wofford’s second SoCon Freshman of the Year pick by the coaches and first since Hayes Heniecke in 2019. He is also the Terriers’ second SoCon Freshman of the Year pick by the media and the first since Matt Lein in 2002.
 
The coaches’ and media’s all-conference first teams match at each position except on the mound, with UNCG junior hurler Rob Ready and Western Carolina’s Jonathan Todd each earning a nod from the coaches for starting pitcher and relief pitcher, respectively, and UNCG sophomore reliever Grant Aycock taking the honor from the media.
 
UNCG led all SoCon programs with eight total all-conference selections by the coaches, with Samford garnering a league-best four on the first team in Ross, reliever Carson Lore, second baseman John Anderson and shortstop Garrett Howe.
 
All eight SoCon squads claimed at least one all-conference pick from the two organizations and six teams had at least one All-Freshman Team pick, led by Wofford’s four selections.
 
UNCG also paced the SoCon with eight All-SoCon selections each from the media, including the Spartans’ league-leading five second-team selections. Samford captured league-high honors with four first-team picks, while UNCG and Wofford garnered three apiece.
 
The SoCon Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases will take place from Wednesday to Sunday at Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina. All eight league teams will be vying for the tournament title and the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. No. 2 seed Samford is the defending tournament champion, while top-seeded UNCG is seeking its second title in three years.


2024 Coaches All-Southern Conference Teams
 
Player of the Year – Caleb Cozart, Sr., 1B/DH, UNCG
Pitcher of the Year – Michael Ross, Sr., RHP, Samford
Freshman of the Year – Daniel Jackson, C, Wofford
Coach of the Year – Cody Ellis, UNCG

First team
SP – Colton Cosper, Jr., Mercer
SP – Rob Ready, Jr., UNCG
SP – Hunter Shuey, So., UNCG
SP – Michael Ross, Sr., Samford
SP – Zac Cowan, So., Wofford
RP – Carson Lore, Jr., Samford
RP – Jonathan Todd, Sr., Western Carolina
C – Justin Starke, Sr., VMI
1B – Cameron Sisneros, Sr., ETSU
2B – John Anderson, Sr., Samford
SS – Garrett Howe, Sr., Samford
3B – Dixon Black, Sr., Wofford
OF – Ty Dalley, So., Mercer
OF – Nate Stocum, Sr., Western Carolina
OF – Marshall Toole, Jr., Wofford
DH – Caleb Cozart, Sr., UNCG
 
Second team
SP – Michael Harpster, Fr., ETSU
SP – Julien Peissel, So., UNCG
SP – Will Riley, Jr., VMI
SP – Dante Visconti, Sr., Western Carolina
RP – Owen Kovacs, Sr., ETSU
RP – Hunter Shuey, So., UNCG
C – Mitchell Smith, Sr., UNCG
C – Daniel Jackson, Fr., Wofford
1B – Caleb Cozart, Sr., UNCG
2B – Zach Ketterman, Sr., Western Carolina
SS – Aidan Brewer, Gr., UNCG
3B – Garrett Staton, Jr., Samford
OF – Tommy Barth, Jr., ETSU
OF – Josh Rodriguez, Sr., Samford
OF – Trey Morgan, R-Sr., VMI
DH – Nick Iannantone, Sr., ETSU
 
All-Freshman Team     
Garrett Fulmer, The Citadel
Michael Harpster, ETSU
Jace Hyde, ETSU
Jamie Palmese, ETSU
Noah Chapman, UNCG              
Jackson Harris, Samford
Angelo Prieto, Samford
Davis Budd, Western Carolina
Tyler Bak, Wofford
Daniel Jackson, Wofford
Kenny Michaels, Wofford
Camden Wicker, Wofford


 
2024 SCSMA All-Southern Conference Teams
 
Player of the Year – Cameron Sisneros, Sr., 1B, ETSU
Pitcher of the Year – Michael Ross, Sr., SP, Samford
Freshman of the Year – Daniel Jackson, Fr., C, Wofford
Coach of the Year – Cody Ellis, UNCG

First team
SP - Colton Cosper, Jr., Mercer
SP - Hunter Shuey, So., UNCG
SP – Michael Ross, Sr., Samford
SP – Zac Cowan, So., Wofford
RP – Grant Aycock, So., UNCG
RP - Carson Lore, Jr., Samford
C – Justin Starke, Sr., VMI
1B – Cameron Sisneros, Sr., ETSU
2B – John Anderson, Sr., Samford
SS – Garrett Howe, Sr., Samford
3B – Dixon Black, Sr., Wofford
OF – Ty Dalley, So., Mercer
OF – Nate Stocum, Sr., Western Carolina
OF – Marshall Toole, Jr., Wofford
DH – Caleb Cozart, Sr., UNCG

Second team
SP – Michael Harpster, Fr., ETSU
SP – Rob Ready, Jr., UNCG
SP - Julien Peissel, So., UNCG
RP – Luke Kissenberth, Sr., The Citadel
RP - Owen Kovacs, Sr., ETSU
RP – Hunter Shuey, So., UNCG
RP – Jonathan Todd, Sr., Western Carolina
RP - Dusty Revis, So., Western Carolina
RP – Mike Eggert, Sr., Wofford
C – Daniel Jackson, Fr., Wofford
1B – Caleb Cozart, Sr., UNCG
2B – Zach Ketterman, Sr., Western Carolina
SS – Aidan Brewer, Gr., UNCG
3B – Garrett Staton, Jr., Samford
OF – Tommy Barth, Jr., ETSU
OF – Josh Rodriguez, Sr., Samford
OF – Trey Morgan, Sr., VMI
DH – Nick Iannantone, Sr., ETSU