2012 Men’s Basketball
Championship
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McPherson was the SAC and Region Player of the Year, while earning first-team All-American accolades from the ABCA and NCBWA. He finished fifth in the Tino Martinez National Player of the Year Award voting, given to Division II’s top player. McPherson was also named the SAC Male Athlete of the Year. He led the SAC in hits (92), runs (65), home runs (17), RBI (78), triples (five) and slugging percentage (.748). McPherson finished second in the league in batting average (.400), total bases (167) and on-base percentage (.466). He ranked in the top 10 nationally in hits (3rd), RBI (2nd), total bases (4th), home runs (5th), runs (8th) and slugging percentage (10th). McPherson led the team with 29 multi-hit games and 19 multi-RBI games. He reached base safely in 50 consecutive games and 55 of 56 in the 2011 season. McPherson had two hitting streaks of at least 14 games in the 2011 season as he scored a run or drove in a run in 50 games. |
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Steve Anderson
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Jess Cooper
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Stuart Drew
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Tanner Funk
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Danny Susdorf
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Dodson McPherson| Keep an Eye on These Pitchers |
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Cole burst into the spotlight in his sophomore season with the River Hawks. He finished with a 7-1 record and tied for the national lead in all three divisions with an 0.82 ERA (Linfield’s Robert Vaughn also had an 0.82 ERA in Division III). Cole pitched 65.2 innings and registered 57 strikeouts including a complete game, one-run masterpiece in the NCAA tournament against Dowling. He named to the NCBWA Preseason All-East Region first team and is on the preseason watch list for the Tino Martinez Player of the Year Award. |
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Braxton Lewis
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Josh Pond
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Don Sandifer
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Ryan Thompson
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Corey Witkowski
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Garrett Cole
| Follow Along with These Programs |
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Noting the Mules: Central Missouri advanced out of the NCAA South Central Regional a year ago to Cary, N.C. for the Division II Finals for the 16th time in program history, and there’s no reason to believe 2012 won’t see trip No. 17. The Mules were picked to once again win the MIAA after two consecutive league titles. Despite losing the top four hitters from a team that hit .320 in 2011, UCM will see one of its top starters (Kurtis Schuyler) and top relievers (Travis Unthank) return.
Noting the Trojans: Mount Olive returns a number of key players from last year’s squad that made a run to the Division II Finals. The Trojans finished the 2011 campaign with a 47-10 overall record and a 16-4 league mark. But the 2012 season might be more about replacing the big names lost from that team. Mount Olive will be without career home run leader Michael Knox, who was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 41st round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. Knox belted a school-record 24 home runs in 2010 and followed with 23 homers in 2011. The Trojans will also have to replace a few key kogs on the mound after losing pitchers who accounted for 45 of last year’s 47 wins, including consensus 2011 national Pitcher of the Year Carter Capps. Capps, who set an NCAA Division II record with 24 consecutive wins during his two-year career at Mount Olive, was picked in the third round of last year’s MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Noting the Argonauts: Coming off the first national championship in program history, West Florida will need to replace a lot of production if the Argonauts would like to make it two titles in a row. Five players were drafted off the 2011 championship team, including the three weekend starters and the top four hitters in a lineup that hit .326. Starter Josh Huggins will move from his midweek starting role to the top of the rotation for the Argos, after going 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA last season. Other Teams to Watch: Columbus State, Emporia State, Francis Marion, Grand Valley State, Millersville, Tampa. |
| Top Contests to Watch in 2012 | |
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No. 2 Central Missouri — April 27-29: at No. 8 Emporia State |
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No. 3 Grand Valley State — March 7: vs. No. 21 Minnesota State-Mankato April 28-29: vs. Wayne State (Mich.) |
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No. 1 Mount Olive — Feb. 18-19: vs. No. 26 LeMoyne Feb. 22: at No. 6 Francis Marion April 6-7: at No. 24 Limestone |
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No. 5 Tampa — Feb. 24: vs. No. 4 West Florida March 20: vs. No. 14 Franklin Pierce April 13-14: vs. No. 15 Florida Southern |
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No. 4 West Florida — Feb. 18-19, 26: at/vs. No. 15 Florida Southern March 6-7: vs. No. 9 Columbus State March 31-April 1: vs. Delta State |
All photos courtesy of respective school athletic departments.
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