2009 All-SEC.Qxp

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MAY 19, 2009 SEC ANNOUNCES ANNUAL BASEBALL HONORS BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Alabama outfielder Kent Matthes was selected 2009 SEC Baseball Player of the Year, LSU’s Louis Coleman was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and Florida first baseman Preston Tucker and LSU reliever Matty Ott were named SEC Co-Freshmen of the Year by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed LSU skipper Paul Mainieri as SEC Coach of the Year. Ben Jones of Auburn was named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Matthes tied the Alabama single-season record with his 27th home run of the season in the series finale at Auburn on May 16. Doug Duke also hit 27 home runs in 1986. Matthes hit an opposite-field, solo home run in the second inning to jump start the UA offense with a 1-0 lead. Matthes also became the school’s all-time leader with his 23rd outfield assist in the series opener against Auburn. Matthes carries a .362 batting average into Hoover and leads with SEC with a .883 slugging percentage. Coleman went 10-2 on the mound for LSU with a 2.99 ERA to lead the SEC in wins. He also struck out 105 batters this season while walking only 19 in 90-plus innings pitched. Tucker (.338 overall, .350 SEC) drove in six runs during the UK series, giving him 71 on the season to break the UF freshman record previously held by Brad Wilkerson (68, 1996). The rookie first baseman totaled 40 RBI in 29 SEC games. Ott led the SEC in saves with 12 on the year while holding a 2.18 ERA. Jones carries a 3.84 GPA in mechanical engineering. He is a two-time Academic All-SEC selection (2007, 2008) and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 4 First Team selection in 2008 and 2009. He is one of only two position players in the SEC to be named to a district first team . He is also Auburn's 2008-09 Male Student Athlete of the Year. Under Mainieri, LSU claimed the 14th Southeastern Conference title in school history last weekend, as the Tigers won two of three games at Mississippi State to end the regular season. The 2009 SEC regular-season crown is LSU’s first since 2003. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes. The complete 2009 All-SEC Team follows: SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - *Kent Matthes, Alabama SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - *Louis Coleman, LSU SEC CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR - Preston Tucker, Florida; Matty Ott, LSU SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Ben Jones, Auburn SEC COACH OF THE YEAR - Paul Mainieri, LSU * unanimous selection FIRST TEAM SECOND TEAM 1B - Rich Poythress, Georgia 1B - Nick Ebert, South Carolina 2B - Ross Wilson, Alabama; Josh Adams, Florida 2B - Chris Bisson, Kentucky 3B - Jake Smith, Alabama 3B - Joseph Sanders, Auburn SS - Josh Rutledge, Alabama; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt SS - Chris Wade, Kentucky; Bobby Haney, South Carolina C - Blake Forsythe, Tennessee C - Justin Dalles, South Carolina OF - *Kent Matthes, Alabama OF - Steven Liddle, Vanderbilt OF - Avery Barnes, Florida OF - DeAngelo Mack, South Carolina OF - Jordan Henry, Ole Miss OF - Ryan Schimpf, LSU DH - Blake Dean, LSU DH - Bryce Massanari, Georgia P - *Louis Coleman, LSU P - Scott Bittle, Ole Miss P - Austin Hyatt, Alabama P - Anthony Ranaudo, LSU; Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss RP - Matty Ott, LSU RP - Billy Bullock, Florida ALL FRESHMAN TEAM ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM 1B - *Preston Tucker, Florida P - Trevor Holder, Georgia 2B - Riley Reynolds, Vanderbilt 1B - Rich Poythress, Georgia 3B - Colby May, Georgia 2B - Ross Wilson, Alabama SS - Zach Osborne, Tennessee SS - Bobby Haney, SC; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt OF - Taylor Dugas, Alabama 3B - Jake Smith, Alabama OF - Mikie Mahtook, LSU OF - Jackie Bradley, Jr., South Carolina C - Micah Gibbs, LSU DH - Aaron Westlake, Vanderbilt OF - Matt den Dekker, Florida P - Nick Routt, Mississippi State OF - Whit Merrifield, South Carolina P - Nolan Belcher, South Carolina OF - Trent Mummey, Auburn RP - *Matty Ott, LSU Media Relations • 2201 Richard Arrington Blvd. North • Birmingham, AL 35203-1103 Phone: (205) 458-3010 • Fax: (205) 458-3030 • www.secsports.com.

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