Tusculum’s O’Connell Named Baseball First-Team All-American

MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- Tusculum College third baseman Guy O'Connell has been named to the 2003 Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-America First Team. The team was announced at the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship in Montgomery, Ala., by the ABCA's All-America committee. Wingate University catcher John Spencer was a Second Team selection.

O'Connell, a junior from Perth, Australia, hit .403 this season and was named the 2003 ABCA Rawlings NCAA Division II South Region Player of the Year. He established school records in hits (83), home runs (21), RBI (67), total bases (175) and slugging percentage (.850). He led the South Atlantic Conference in slugging percentage, on-base percentage (.488), doubles (19) and home runs. For his efforts, he was named this year's SAC Player of the Year. His 21 home runs are the second most round-trippers this year in NCAA Division II.

O'Connell went 7-for-14 in three games at the 2003 NCAA Division II South Region Baseball Tournament as he led Tusculum to a third place showing. He posted a 4-for-4 effort in TC's opener against No. 2 Florida Southern College as he was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. O'Connell was named to the NCAA South Region All-Tournament Team. He was also tabbed to the SAC All-Tournament Team and was selected to the All-Conference First Team.

Spencer, an All-South Atlantic Conference and All-South Region first team pick, led the SAC in four different categories this season: hitting (.405), hits per game (1.55), total fielding chances (439) and total putouts (392). Spencer earned first team All-SAC honors for the second year in a row.

In addition to the categories listed above, Spencer led the Bulldogs in at bats (195), runs scored (56), doubles (14), triples (four) and sacrifice flies (five). When Spencer was behind the plate, opposing runners did not steal. He threw out 12 runners on the season.

A four-year letterman, Spencer helped the Bulldogs to a berth in the 2001 NCAA Division II playoffs. Wingate won the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship in 2000. The Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 121-90-1 during Spencer's career.

Spencer is the seventh Wingate University baseball player to earn Rawlings/ABCA NCAA Division II All-American honors. Wingate joined the NCAA in 1993. Pitcher Danny Lampley was a two-time All-American (1997, 1998). Four outfielders were named All-American once each: Chris Torres (2001), Jason Foster (1999), Darren Hayes (1995) and Allen Thomas (1995).

O'Connell becomes the first Tusculum baseball player to earn All-American distinction since the school reclassified to NCAA Division II in 1998.

Tusculum College enjoyed one of its best diamond campaigns in school history posting a 34-21 tally sheet, tying for most wins in a season. TC's Regional berth was the school's first-ever NCAA post-season appearance since making the move to Division II.

2003 Rawlings/ABCA NCAA Division II Baseball All-America Teams

FIRST TEAM
Chad Fox, Southeastern Oklahoma State (First Base), Sr.
Brad Church, Mount Olive (Second Base), Sr.
Mike Aviles, Concordia (Shortstop), Sr.
Ben Tinius, Fort Hays State (Third Base), Sr.
Guy O'Connell, Tusculum (Infield), Jr.
Joey Reiman, Grand Canyon (Catcher), Sr.
Tracy Geffre, Southern Arkansas (Designated Hitter), Sr.
Ashley Farr, USC Aiken (Outfield), Jr.
Tim Battaglia, Minnesota-Duluth (Outfield), Jr.
Jeff Millsaps, North Florida (Outfield), Jr.
Jud Thigpen, Delta State (Outfield), Jr.
Brandon DeJaynes, Quincy (Pitcher), Sr.
Matt Weagle, Franklin Pierce (Pitcher), Jr.
Jon Dobyns, Armstrong Atlantic State (Pitcher), Jr.
Eric Beattie, Tampa (Pitcher), So.
Jeremy Noegel, West Florida (Relief Pitcher), Sr.

SECOND TEAM
Cam Houston, Fort Hays State (First Base), Jr.
Brian Foy, Wayne State (Second Base), Sr.
Mike Spry, Shepherd (Shortstop), Sr.
Zach Norman, Central Missouri State (Third Base), Sr.
Joe Strada, Central Missouri State (Infield), Jr.
John Spencer, Wingate (Catcher), Sr.
Phil Delich, Northern Colorado (Designated Hitter), Sr.
Doug Vroman, New Haven (Outfield), Sr.
Sammy Watson, Valdosta State (Outfield), Sr.
Trevor Allen, Northern Colorado (Outfield), Jr.
Jon Love, Kennesaw State (Outfield), So.
Skip Weast, Central Oklahoma (Pitcher), Sr.
Travis McCarter, Wayne State (Pitcher), Jr.
Kyle Ruwe, Nova Southeastern (Pitcher), So.
Adam Bass, Alabama Huntsville (Pitcher), Jr.
Justin Cerrato, North Florida (Relief Pitcher), Jr.

THIRD TEAM
Mike Clohessy, Saint Thomas Aquinas (First Base), Sr.
Alan Reichl, Slippery Rock (Second Base), Sr.
Gene Reynolds, Tampa (Shortstop), Sr.
John Rogers, Central Oklahoma (Third Base), Sr.
Ryan Hill, Saint Mary ' s (TX) (Infield), Fr.
Nick Zodrow, Northeastern State (Catcher), Sr.
Steve Parrish, Mount Olive (Designated Hitter), Jr.
Jim Reiter, Missouri-St. Louis (Outfield), Sr.
Joe Givas, CSU Dominguez Hills (Outfield), Sr.
Joe Neidrick, Slippery Rock (Outfield), Sr.
Marcelino Esclante, Abilene Christian (Outfield), Sr.
Steve Norris, Slippery Rock (Pitcher), Jr.
Scott Taylor, CSU Stanislaus (Pitcher), Sr.
Steve Bray, New Haven (Pitcher), Sr.
Grant Reynolds, Kennesaw State (Pitcher), Sr.
Dan Clement, Southern Colorado (Relief Pitcher), Jr.

Position Player of the Year: Mike Aviles, Concordia, Sr.
Pitcher of the Year: Brandon DeJaynes, Quincy, Sr.
Division II Player of the Year: Mike Aviles, Concordia, Sr.
Division II Coach of the Year: TBA--Coach of National Championship Team