Fort alumnus Carroll earns CIAA top coach award

Coach Aaron Carroll

PETERSBURG, VA — Chowan University head baseball coach Aaron Carroll has been named 2011 CIAA Coach of the Year. Carroll was awarded the honor at the CIAA ceremony on the campus of Virginia State University this past week before the start of the conference tournament.

Carroll, a Fort Defiance High School graduate, led Chowan to a 29-14 overall record in the regular season, the most wins the program has had since the 2008 campaign. The Hawks earned the top seed in the CIAA tournament after compiling a 25-3 conference record, but were eliminated from the tournament Saturday. Chowan finished the year with a 30-16 record.

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CIAA: Bagbey named NCCAA South Region Player of the Year

NCCAA South Region Player of the Year for Baseball -- Chowan University's Justin Bagbey from Virgilina, VA /Halifax County H.S.

Justin ‘Buzzard’ Bagbey continues to succeed at the next level, after another standout season at Chowan University. Bagbey was named National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) South Region Player of the Year for Baseball. Bagbey was named Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association player of the year earlier and first team, 2010 American Baseball Coaches Association Atlantic All-Region (ABCA).

The Hawks first baseman led the conference in home runs (13) this season and hit at a .437 clip. “It’s actually a big honor. When we had the tournament down at our place a couple of weeks ago, I saw a lot of great athletes there, a lot of great baseball players there. For them to name me regional player of the year over all them, it really told me something and it was a big honor,” Bagbey said.

The Chowan University sophomore had added protection in the lineup this year, always a boost for key run producers. The Hawks outstanding freshman Justin Shockley usually got a big hit if pitchers walked Bagbey, giving the former Comet extra help. Shockley was named to the 2010 ABCA Atlantic Region Second Team after hitting at a .452 clip as the Hawks' designated hitter. He collected nine doubles and 22 RBI in his first season of collegiate play.

Bagbey showed extra patience at the plate, a sign of maturity. “I knew after my freshman year, I was going to see a lot of off-speed. I ended up drawing 34 walks this year. Being patient helped a lot, too,” said Bagbey. The Chowan first baseman said he’s getting better, even if he did not produce the same offensive numbers as last year as a freshman. “But if you look at it, I had about ten more walks than I had last year, and other guys in the lineup also hit around me. If they didn’t want to pitch to me, they had trouble to pitch to behind me and everything.

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Note: When Justin 'Buzzard' Badgey career is over a Chowan University, he may be the most famous person in his hometown of Virgilina, Virginia, which has a population of 147 people based on the 2008 census.