NEW ORLEANS - Sophomore Bryce Brentz has been named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year while five other players received First and Second Team honors as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.
Brentz was also named First Team outfielder for his performance throughout the 2009 season. The Knoxville, Tenn., native leads the country as well as the Sun Belt in numerous statistical categories.
Brentz is currently batting .485 with 95 hits, 27 home runs, 67 RBI, has scored 68 and posted a slugging percentage of 1.005. Brentz was named Freshman of the Year in 2008 and followed that season with just as impressive numbers in 2009.
"My entire coaching career I have said it is a player's game. To have a player with a year like he has had is quite an honor. He was Freshman of the Year last year and this year he is Player of the Year. Bryce had Freshman All-America honors as well and with the numbers he is putting up should have the credentials to be a consensus All-American in every poll in the country," head coach Steve Peterson said. "What else can we ask from him and I know what he wants and that is to win another championship. Congratulations to him."
Juniors Kenneth Roberts and Coty Woods also received First Team honors as starting and relief pitchers. Roberts has received SBC Player of the Week honors two times this season posting an 8-1 record with a 3.12 ERA while Woods has broken the single-season record for saves and now has 13.
"You don't win championships without guys having good years. I would imagine with Coty being the saves leader and closer has been instrumental in our success with the pitching staff and with Kenny. If there is a better combination of a starter and a closer then that team should have won a championship. Kenny has been the leader of the pack from start to finish and that is what you look for is consistency. He is the reason we have stayed away from long losing streaks," Peterson said.
Seniors Rawely Bishop and Nathan Hines and junior Drew Robertson were all named to the Second Team at their respective positions. Bishop has broken four career records at Middle Tennessee and ranks in the Top-10 in six others while Hines is in the Top-10 in nine different categories.
"All three have had outstanding years. The way Drew has played from last year to this year is night and day but he is maturing and is healthy. Nathan to put together a year he has had and then there is Rawley who is Mr. Consistency. Bryce, Rawely and Nathan have been at different spots in the line-up but always together and its been a great cast of characters for the whole year," Peterson said.
Bishop is currently second on the team in batting with a .396 average with 82 hits, 12 doubles, 14 home runs and has scored 66 runs. Hines is batting .349 and leads the team and league in doubles with 22 while driving 65 runs.
Robertson has been a leader behind the plate catching a pitching staff that has notched a shutout and a two-hitter while helping guide the Blue Raiders offensively. Robertson has 21 doubles and is batting .332.
Top-seeded Middle Tennessee will begin play in the Sun Belt Championships hosted by Troy in Troy, Ala., on Wednesday, May 20 at 12:30 p.m. against eighth seeded Florida Atlantic.
2009 All-Sun Belt Conference Baseball First Team
SP - Kenneth Roberts Middle Tennessee; Matt Hightower WKU
RP - Coty Woods, Middle Tennessee
C - David Doss, South Alabama
1B - Mike Martinez, FIU
2B - Ryan Mollica, FIU
SS - Ben Soignier, ULM
3B - Wade Gaynor, WKU
OF - Tyler Townsend, FIU; Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee; Chad Cregar, WKU
DH - Tim Jobe, FIU
U - Michael Precise, Troy
2009 All-Sun Belt Conference Baseball Second Team
SP - Tom Ebert, FIU; Matt Ridings, WKU
RP - Chris Sorce, Troy
C - Drew Robertson, Middle Tennessee
1B - Ryan Ditthardt, Troy
2B - Boomer Blanchard, ULM
SS - Terrence Dayleg, WKU
3B - Rawley Bishop, Middle Tennessee
OF - Jon Prevost, ULM; Nathan Hines, Middle Tennessee; Adam Heisler, South Alabama
DH - Scott Hawkins, Louisiana-Lafayette
U - Murray Watts, Arkansas State
Player of the Year - Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee
Pitcher of the Year - Matt Hightower, WKU
Freshman of the Year - Tyler Ray, Troy
Newcomer of the Year - Boomer Blanchard, ULM
Coach of the Year - Chris Finwood, WKU
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