FRISCO, Texas – McNeese head coach
Justin Hill and sophomore outfielder
Shane Selman were named the 2017 Southland Conference Coach of the Year and Hitter of the Year, respectively, by the league office on Tuesday in conjunction with the announcing of the 2017 all-conference baseball teams.
Hill, in his fourth season at the helm, becomes the fifth McNeese head coach to garner the coach of the year award and the first since Chad Clement received the honor in 2006.
Selman is the eighth Cowboy to be named hitter of the year but just the first in 17 seasons since Chris Williamson was named the award winner in 2000.
In addition, Selman was named first team All-SLC outfield and was joined on the first unit by second baseman
Joe Provenzano and utility player
Ricky Ramirez, Jr. Provenzano is a repeat winner having garnered first team honors in 2015.
All-SLC second team accolades went to third baseman
Matt Gallier and outfielder
Robbie Podorsky while pitcher
Trent Fontenot was selected for the third team.
McNeese had three players pick up honorable mention honors – pitchers
Grant Anderson and
Rhett Deaton, and catcher
Dustin Duhon.
Hill has guided the Cowboys to their first Southland Conference title since 2006 and fourth overall after leading McNeese to a 36-18 overall record and 22-8 mark in league play. The 36 wins are the most since posting 39 victories in 2000 while the 22 league wins tie for the most in school history (22 in 2006).
Picked for a fourth place finish in the preseason polls, the Cowboys jumped out to a 9-0 start in conference play with three straight weekend sweeps. McNeese held onto the top spot for the entire year and along the way, picked up victories over three other conference champions – LSU (SEC), Missouri State (Missouri Valley Conference), and Creighton (Big East).
In all, McNeese swept eight weekend series on the season, including a season-opening weekend grab in the Lake Area Classic with wins over Rhode Island, Missouri State and Stony Brook.
Selman, a Lake Charles native, currently leads the Southland Conference with 14 home runs that ranks as the 10
th-most in a season in school history. His .347 batting average is tied for the team lead while his 57 RBI is second in the conference.
Provenzano is tied atop the team with Selman in hitting at .347 and currently holds the team's longest hitting streak at 12 games.
The junior from Downers Grove, Ill. is fourth in the league with 53 runs batted in while his hitting is ranked tied for seventh in the conference.
Ramirez, Jr. is ranked third in the league and 23
rd nationally with 21 doubles on the season to go along with a .333 batting average. The Deer Park, Texas native needs just two more doubles to tie, and three to break, the school's single-season doubles record of 23.
Gallier is wrapping up his fourth season with the Cowboys and is second on the team and fifth in the conference with 12 home runs. Another Lake Charles native, Gallier is hitting .323 on the season with 51 RBI. He's also hit two grand slams on the year.
Podorsky became the school's single-season stolen base record holder last week with his 36
th swipe of the season coming against Houston. Since then he's added two more to give him 38 heading into the conference tournament, a number that ranks him tied for No. 1 in the NCAA.
The junior from Prairieville is also the conference leader and ranked third in the NCAA with 64 runs scored. He's hitting .320 on the season with five triples, five home runs and 26 RBI.
Fontenot, a senior from Nederland, has compiled a 2-1 record and 1.97 ERA on the season. He's appeared in 23 games, has thrown 32 innings and has struck out 49 batters while walking just 18.
Duhon, a sophomore from Moss Bluff, is hitting .275 on the year with a couple of home runs and 25 RBI.
Anderson is 7-0 on the mound with a 2.37 ERA when coming out of the bullpen. He also has one save this season. The Beaumont native has appeared in a team-high 29 games and has 54 strike outs in 57 innings pitched.
Deaton has been the Cowboys' No. 2 starter all season and has compiled an 8-3 record with a 3.78 ERA. The Winnsboro, Texas native has started in 14 games and has thrown 78.2 innings on the season.
Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Taylor Schwaner, Southeastern Louisiana
Hitter of the Year: Shane Selman, McNeese
Pitcher of the Year: Heath Donica, Sam Houston State
Relief Pitcher of the Year: JT Newton, Houston Baptist
Freshman of the Year: Hayden Wesneski, Sam Houston State
Newcomer of the Year: Josh Evans, Stephen F. Austin
Coach of the Year: Justin Hill, McNeese
2017 All-Southland Conference Baseball Teams
First Team
Pos. Name University Class Hometown
1B Hunter Strong Central Arkansas So. Sheridan, Ark.
2B
Joe Provenzano McNeese Jr. Downers Grove, Ill.
3B Taylor Schwaner Southeastern Louisiana Jr. New Orleans, La.
SS Taylor Beene Sam Houston Sr. Humble, Texas
C Robie Rojas Sam Houston Sr. Jersey Village, Texas
DH Josh Evans Stephen F. Austin Jr. Ponca City, Okla.
OF
Shane Selman McNeese So. Lake Charles, La.
OF Bryce Johnson
2 Sam Houston State Jr. Cypress, Texas
OF Russell Crippen Abilene Christian Sr. Snohomish, Wash.
P Heath Donica
2 Sam Houston State Sr. Corsicana, Texas
P Mac Sceroler
2 Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Denham Springs, La.
P Shawn Semple New Orleans Jr. Swedesboro, N.J.
U Ricky Ramirez McNeese Sr. Deer Park, Texas
Second Team
Pos. Name University Class Hometown
1B David Fry
3 Northwestern State Jr. Colleyville, Texas
2B Carson Crites
2 Southeastern Louisiana Sr. Amarillo, Texas
3B
Matt Gallier McNeese Sr. Lake Charles, La.
SS Tyler Depreta-Johnson Houston Baptist So. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
C John Cable New Orleans Jr. Roswell, Ga.
DH Robin Adames Lamar So. Bronx, N.Y.
OF Cutter McDowell Lamar Sr. Pearland, Texas
OF Zac Michener
2 Stephen F. Austin Sr. Kennedale, Texas
OF
Robbie Podorsky McNeese Jr. Prairieville, La.
P Cole Stapler Nicholls Sr. Prairieville, La.
P Bryan Warzek New Orleans So. Clifton Park, N.J.
P JT Newton Houston Baptist So. Bangs, Texas
U Drew Avans Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Alabaster, Ala.
Third Team
Pos. Name University Class Hometown
1B Trey Silvers Lamar Sr. Manvel, Texas
2B Nick Ramos Stephen F. Austin Sr. Plano, Texas
3B Andrew Fregia Sam Houston State So. Liberty, Texas
SS Brooks Balisterri Central Arkansas Sr. Benton, Ark.
C Bryndan Arredondo
2 Lamar Sr. Lubbock, Texas
DH Luis Trevino Abilene Christian Jr. Mission, Texas
OF Reid Russell
2 Lamar Sr. Longview, Texas
OF Clayton Harp Sam Houston So. El Campo, Texas
OF Orynn Veillon New Orleans So. Lafayette, La.
P Will Vest Stephen F. Austin Jr. Houston, Texas
P
Trent Fontenot McNeese Sr. Nederland, Texas
P Corey Gaconi Southeastern Louisiana So. Metairie, La.
U Grant Devore Lamar Jr. Dallas, Texas
3 Three-time all-conference selection
2 Two-time all-conference selection
All-Defensive Team
1B Hunter Strong Central Arkansas So. Sheridan, Ark.
2B Samuel Capielano New Orleans Sr. River Ridge, La.
3B Gage Teer Nicholls Jr. Brandon, Miss.
SS Tyler Depreta-Johnson Houston Baptist So. Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
C Alex Tucker Nicholls Sr. Denham Springs, La.
LF Drew Avans Southeastern Louisiana Jr. Alabaster, Ala.
CF Bryce Johnson
2 Sam Houston Jr. Cypress, Texas
RF Riley McKnight Sam Houston So. Klein, Texas
P Cole Stapler Nicholls Sr. Prairieville, La.
All-Conference Honorable Mention
2B Samuel Capielano, New Orleans; Lance Miles, Sam Houston State
3B Owen Magee, New Orleans
SS Cullen Jozwiak, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Joey Morales, Nicholls; Aaron Palmer, New Orleans;
C:
Dustin Duhon, McNeese; Alex Tucker, Nicholls;
DH: Blake Chisolm, Sam Houston; Hezekiah Randolph, New Orleans
OF: Drew Avans, Southeastern Louisiana; Brandon Brintz, Houston Baptist; Tristan Clark, New Orleans; Keaton Presley, Central Arkansas; Derek Scott, Abilene Christian; Dalton Start, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
P:
Grant Anderson, McNeese;
Rhett Deaton, McNeese; Tanner Driskill, Lamar; Tyler Gray, Central Arkansas Brandon Hagerla, Central Arkansas; Mike Hanchar, Nicholls; Carson Lance, Lamar; Tyler Starks, Stephen F. Austin; Christian Thames, Houston Baptist; Hayden Wesneski, Sam Houston
