Saturday, February 4, 2017

MEAC Announces Baseball Preseason All-Conference Honors


NORFOLK, Virginia -- The Norfolk State Spartans and Bethune-Cookman Wildcats were predicted to win the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball northern and southern divisions, respectively, the conference announced today.

All preseason honors were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Bethune-Cookman’s Danny Rodriguez was selected as the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, while teammate Tyler Norris earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year accolades.

Rodriguez, the 2016 MEAC Rookie of the Year, led the Wildcats in hits (69) and RBIs (46); he was second in the MEAC in RBIs, tied for second in home runs and tied for fourth in hits. He recorded 224 at-bats with 10 doubles and 10 home runs, with 38 runs scored, last season. Defensively, he notched a .986 fielding percentage.

Norris earned Second Team All-MEAC honors last season after appearing in 15 games and recording six wins, including one shutout, in 69.2 innings pitched. He ranked first in the MEAC in games started (14), second in wins (6), and fourth in strikeouts (71).

Norfolk State was the 2016 MEAC Northern Division champion. The Spartans finished the season with a 29-21 overall record and a 19-5 MEAC mark.

Delaware State was picked to finish second, followed by Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore to round out the Northern Division.

The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, defending MEAC Baseball Tournament champions, posted a 29-27 overall record and a 17-7 MEAC mark last season.

Florida A&M was predicted to finish second in the Southern Division, followed by North Carolina Central, Savannah State and North Carolina A&T State.

Rodriguez (B-CU) and Norris (B-CU) are joined by Brian Beard (NSU), Brian Davis (FAMU), Denathan Dukes (NSU), Ben Ellzey (FAMU), Jonathan Mauricio (NSU), Alex Mauricio (NSU) Willis McDaniel (FAMU), Adan Ordonez (NCAT), Carlos Ortiz (NCCU), Tim Ravare (NCAT) and Demetrius Sims (B-CU) on the 2017 Preseason All-MEAC First Team.

The 2017 MEAC Baseball Championship Tournament is scheduled for May 17-20 at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Md.

2017 MEAC Baseball Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors
(First-place votes in parenthesis)

Northern DivisionSouthern Division
Norfolk State (15)                       69Bethune-Cookman (10)                                82
Delaware State (1)                     51Florida A&M (6)                                            74
Coppin State (2)                         32North Carolina Central (1)                            53
Maryland Eastern Shore            28Savannah State (1)                                      33
North Carolina A&T State                             28





2017 MEAC Baseball Preseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors

Preseason Player of the Year: Danny Rodriguez, Bethune-Cookman
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Tyler Norris, Bethune-Cookman

First Team
Pos.
Name
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
SP
Tyler Norris
Bethune-Cookman
So.
6-1
160
Coral Springs, Fla.
SP
Jonathan Mauricio
Norfolk State
Sr.
6-2
180
Midlothian, Va.
RP
Alex Mauricio
Norfolk State
Jr.
6-0
180
Midlothian, Va.
C
Adan Ordonez
North Carolina A&T State
Jr.
5-7
185
Clermont, Fla.
1B
Danny Rodriguez
Bethune-Cookman
r-So.
6-3
240
Pembroke Pines, Fla.
2B
Tim Ravare
North Carolina A&T State
Sr.
5-7
175
Los Angeles, Calif.
3B
Ben Ellzey
Florida A&M
Sr.
6-0
205
Ocala, Fla.
SS
Demetrius Sims
Bethune-Cookman
r-Jr.
6-2
200
Ann Arbor, Mich.
OF
Carlos Ortiz
North Carolina Central
Jr.
5-9
197
Cleveland, Ohio
OF
Denathan Dukes
Norfolk State
Sr.
6-2
185
Woodbridge, Va.
*OF
Willis McDaniel
Florida A&M
So.
5-9
165
Tallahassee, Fla.
*OF
Brian Beard
Norfolk State
r-Sr.
5-11
200
Chesapeake, Va.
UTL
Brian Davis
Florida A&M
Jr.
195
5-10
Pensacola, Fla.
*Indicates tie
Second Team
Pos.
Name
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown
SP
Devin Hemmerich
Norfolk State
Sr.
6-1
190
Norfolk, Va.
SP
Lane DeLeon
Delaware State
Jr.
6-4
185
Georgetown, Del.
RP
Ivan Coutinho
Bethune-Cookman
So.
6-1
200
Oviedo, Fla.
C
Jacky Miles, Jr.
Florida A&M
Sr.
6-0
205
Graceville, Fla.
1B
Roger Hall
Norfolk State
r-Sr.
6-0
210
Chesapeake, Va.
2B
Chase Anderson
Norfolk State
So.
5-8
150
Norfolk, Va.
3B
Ellington Hopkins
North Carolina Central
Jr.
5-6
174
Lansing, N.Y.
SS
Milton Rivera
North Carolina A&T State
Jr.
5-6
175
Humacao, Puerto Rico
OF
Josten Heron
Bethune-Cookman
r-So.
6-2
195
Miami, Fla.
OF
Austin Bentley
Delaware State
Jr.
5-11
205
Waldorf, Md.
OF
Khalyd Cox
Savannah State
So.
6-1
175
Palmetto, Fla.
UTL
Todd Henry
Delaware State
So.
5-10
180
Egg Harbor Twp., N.J.



 CREDIT: MEAC MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

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