NMSUs Billy Becher named Sun Belt Baseball Player of the Year
WKUs Matt Wilhite named Sun Belt Baseball Pitcher of the Year
South Alabamas Steve Kittrell named Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Lafayette, La. New Mexico State junior first baseman Billy Becher was named the 2003 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year tonight at the Annual Baseball Awards Banquet in Lafayette, La. Western Kentucky senior relief pitcher Matt Wilhite became the second Hilltopper in a row to be named the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, while Florida International shortstop Luis Rivera was named the Freshman of the Year. South Alabamas Steve Kittrell was named the Ron Maestri Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his 20-year career at the Jaguar helm. The Jaguars won the leagues regular season title with a 17-7 conference record and 39-15 overall record. USA is the No. 1 seed in this weeks Dodge Sun Belt Conference Tournament and is ranked in all four national baseball polls.
Becher, the first team all-Sun Belt first baseman, currently leads the nation in home runs (30) and RBI (109), while hitting a solid .430 which places him 10th in the nation this week. Becher is a Dick Howser Trophy candidate and was placed on the Golden Spikes Award Watch List in April. Wilhite is the first relief pitcher to be named Pitcher of the Year in the league. Wilhite is currently 13th in the nation with 11 saves and 21st with an ERA of 1.98. Former Hilltopper starter Ryan Bicondoa was the 2002 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year. Rivera leads the Golden Panthers with 76 hits and 14 doubles in his rookie season. Rivera is the second FIU player in a row to be named Freshman of the Year. Current FIU relief pitcher and 2003 second team all-Sun Belt selection Derek DeCarlo was the 2002 Freshman of the Year. DeCarlo is 17-0 in his two-year collegiate career.
Joining Becher and Wilhite on the first team are repeat all-conference performers Corey Coles of Louisiana-Lafayette and Ryan Mulhern of South Alabama in the outfield. Also in the outfield on the first team is NMSUs Alex Borgo. Others on the first team all-conference team starting pitchers Josh Banks of FIU and Jordy Templet of UL Lafayette; catcher Rick Guarno of Arkansas-Little Rock; second baseman Brad Ditter of NMSU; USA shortstop Brett Parker; Middle Tennessee third baseman Brett Carroll; FIU designated hitter Bryan Pullin; and utility player Chad Cooper of MT.
In addition to DeCarlo, 12 student-athletes were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team starting pitchers Clark Girardeau of USA and Dustin Cameron of NMSU; UL Lafayette catcher Ryan Core; MT first baseman Josh Archer; UALR second baseman Chris Julo; Arkansas State shortstop Matt Rogelstad; USA third baseman Kevin Sytko; NMSU designated hitter Keith Jenkins; NMSU utility player Dustin Mote; and outfielders Ricardo Nanita of FIU, Aaron Haefele of UALR and Joe Pietro of New Orleans.
The Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament begins on Wednesday, May 21 at 9:30 a.m. (CDT) with No. 1 seed South Alabama facing No. 8 seed Arkansas State. No. 2 seed New Mexico State will face No. 7 seed Arkansas-Little Rock at 12:30 p.m., followed by No. 4 seed Western Kentucky against No. 5 seed Florida International at 3:30 p.m. No. 3 seed Louisiana-Lafayette will play No. 6 seed Middle Tennessee in the nightcap at 6:30 p.m. All game will be played at M.L. Tigue Moore Field on the campus of Louisiana-Lafayette.
First Team Second Team
SP - Josh Banks, Jr., Florida International SP - Clark Girardeau, Jr., South Alabama
SP - Jordy Templet, Jr., Louisiana-Lafayette SP - Dustin Cameron, So., New Mexico State
RP - Matt Wilhite, Sr., Western Kentucky RP - Derek DeCarlo, So., Florida International
C - Rick Guarno, Jr., Arkansas-Little Rock C - Ryan Core, Jr., Louisiana-Lafayette
1B - Billy Becher, Jr., New Mexico State 1B - Josh Archer, So., Middle Tennessee
2B - Brad Ditter, Jr., New Mexico State 2B - Chris Julo, Sr., Arkansas-Little Rock
SS - Brett Parker, Sr., South Alabama SS - Matt Rogelstad, Jr., Arkansas State
3B - Brett Carroll, So., Middle Tennessee 3B - Kevin Sytko, Sr., South Alabama
OF - Corey Coles, Jr., Louisiana-Lafayette OF - Ricardo Nanita, Jr., Florida International
OF - Ryan Mulhern, Sr., South Alabama OF - Joe Pietro, So., New Orleans
OF - Alex Borgo, Sr., New Mexico State OF - Aaron Haefele, Jr., Arkansas-Little Rock
DH - Bryan Pullin, Fr., Florida International DH - Keith Jenkins, Jr., New Mexico State
UT - Chad Cooper, Sr., Middle Tennessee UT - Dustin Mote, Jr., New Mexico State
Player of the Year Billy Becher, Jr., 1B, New Mexico State
Pitcher of the Year Matt Wilhite, Sr., RP, Western Kentucky
Freshman of the Year Luis Rivera, SS, Florida International
Newcomer of the Year Billy Becher, Jr., 1B, New Mexico State
Coach of the Year Steve Kittrell, South Alabama
-Sun Belt-