McWhorter Earns Player of the Year, Jones and Ledford Named All-Conference
5/24/2021 4:01:00 PM | Baseball
NEW ORLEANS, La. – On Monday afternoon, the Sun Belt Conference office announced the 2021 Baseball All-Conference teams and major awards. Georgia Southern's Mason McWhorter was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference alongside of teammate Nick Jones. Noah Ledford rounded out the Eagles to secure an All-Conference spot, as he was named to the second team.
Mason McWhorter captures the first Player of the Year honor for the blue and white since joining the Sun Belt Conference, posting a .371 average at the plate and driving in 48 RBIs. McWhorter broke the Georgia Southern school record for doubles, surpassing Eric Phillips with 67 and crushed 16 home runs.
The senior also collected the first cycle for the Eagles since 2011, when Shawn Payne accomplished the feat. That day McWhorter was 5-for-5 with two home runs and completed the cycle. The Cumming, Georgia native has been named to the Dick Howser Trophy Semifinal list as one of two Eagles to be honored.
Nick Jones was named to the Sun Belt Conference first team after an impressive 2021 regular season for the Eagles. Jones posted a 1.16 ERA, while holding a 1-0 record. The Lefty has tied the school record with 17 saves and he has struck out 62 batters in his 39 innings of work. Jones posts a batting average against of .190. Jones' 17 saves lead the nation, while he was named to the Stopper of the Year Semifinal list and the Dick Howser Trophy Semifinal list.
Noah Ledford rounds out the three Eagles who were awarded honors by the conference. Ledford was named to the Sun Belt Conference Second-Team as a designated hitter, crushing 14 home runs and driving in 44 RBIs. Ledford has posted a .524 slugging percentage and a .329 on base percentage this season.
Player of the Year
Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern (Gr., OF – Cumming, Ga.)
Pitcher of the Year
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., P – Rison, Ark.)
Freshman of the Year
Garrett Gainous, Troy (Fr., P – Cairo, Ga.)
Newcomer of the Year
Drake Osborn, Louisiana (Sr., C – Sandia, Texas)
Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Mark Calvi, South Alabama
All-Sun Belt First Team
Connor Cooke, Louisiana (So., P – Sulphur, La.)
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., P – Rison, Ark.)
Carlos Tavera, UTA (Jr., P – Fort Worth, Texas)
Nick Jones, Georgia Southern (Sr., RP – Johns Creek, Ga.)
Drake Osborn, Louisiana (Sr., C – Sandia, Texas)
Robbie Young, App State (Sr., 1B – Louisville, Ky.)
Luke Drumheller, App State (Jr., 2B – Charlotte, N.C.)
Drew Frederic, Troy (Sr., SS – Niceville, Fla.)
Ben Klutts, Arkansas State (Jr., 3B – Poteau, Okla.)
Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern (Gr., OF – Cumming, Ga.)
Logan Cerny, Troy (So., OF – Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Ethan Wilson, South Alabama (Jr., OF – Andalusia, Ala.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (Fr., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
Ben Fitzgerald, Louisiana (Jr., DH – Mason City, Iowa)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
JoJo Booker, South Alabama (Sr., P – Brewton, Ala.)
Tyler Tuthill, App State (Jr, P – Clayton, N.C.)
Jeremy Lee, South Alabama (Fr., P – Valley Grand, Ala.)
Aaron Barkley, Little Rock (Gr., RP – El Cajon, Calif.)
BT Riopelle, Coastal Carolina (Jr., C – Marietta, Ga.)
Dylan Paul, UTA (RS Sr., 1B – Allen, Texas)
Travis Washburn, ULM (So., 2B – Conroe, Texas)
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (So., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Grant Schulz, ULM (Jr., 3B – Mereaux, La.)
Tyler Duncan, Arkansas State (Sr., OF – Sooke, British Columbia, Canada)
Parker Chavers, Coastal Carolina (RS Jr., OF – Montgomery, Ala.)
Josh Smith, Georgia State (So., OF – College Park, Ga.)
Andrew Miller, UTA (Sr., UT – Frisco, Texas)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (Jr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Mason McWhorter captures the first Player of the Year honor for the blue and white since joining the Sun Belt Conference, posting a .371 average at the plate and driving in 48 RBIs. McWhorter broke the Georgia Southern school record for doubles, surpassing Eric Phillips with 67 and crushed 16 home runs.
The senior also collected the first cycle for the Eagles since 2011, when Shawn Payne accomplished the feat. That day McWhorter was 5-for-5 with two home runs and completed the cycle. The Cumming, Georgia native has been named to the Dick Howser Trophy Semifinal list as one of two Eagles to be honored.
Nick Jones was named to the Sun Belt Conference first team after an impressive 2021 regular season for the Eagles. Jones posted a 1.16 ERA, while holding a 1-0 record. The Lefty has tied the school record with 17 saves and he has struck out 62 batters in his 39 innings of work. Jones posts a batting average against of .190. Jones' 17 saves lead the nation, while he was named to the Stopper of the Year Semifinal list and the Dick Howser Trophy Semifinal list.
Noah Ledford rounds out the three Eagles who were awarded honors by the conference. Ledford was named to the Sun Belt Conference Second-Team as a designated hitter, crushing 14 home runs and driving in 44 RBIs. Ledford has posted a .524 slugging percentage and a .329 on base percentage this season.
Player of the Year
Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern (Gr., OF – Cumming, Ga.)
Pitcher of the Year
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., P – Rison, Ark.)
Freshman of the Year
Garrett Gainous, Troy (Fr., P – Cairo, Ga.)
Newcomer of the Year
Drake Osborn, Louisiana (Sr., C – Sandia, Texas)
Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Mark Calvi, South Alabama
All-Sun Belt First Team
Connor Cooke, Louisiana (So., P – Sulphur, La.)
Hayden Arnold, Little Rock (Sr., P – Rison, Ark.)
Carlos Tavera, UTA (Jr., P – Fort Worth, Texas)
Nick Jones, Georgia Southern (Sr., RP – Johns Creek, Ga.)
Drake Osborn, Louisiana (Sr., C – Sandia, Texas)
Robbie Young, App State (Sr., 1B – Louisville, Ky.)
Luke Drumheller, App State (Jr., 2B – Charlotte, N.C.)
Drew Frederic, Troy (Sr., SS – Niceville, Fla.)
Ben Klutts, Arkansas State (Jr., 3B – Poteau, Okla.)
Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern (Gr., OF – Cumming, Ga.)
Logan Cerny, Troy (So., OF – Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Ethan Wilson, South Alabama (Jr., OF – Andalusia, Ala.)
Cameron Jones, Georgia State (Fr., UT – Kathleen, Ga.)
Ben Fitzgerald, Louisiana (Jr., DH – Mason City, Iowa)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
JoJo Booker, South Alabama (Sr., P – Brewton, Ala.)
Tyler Tuthill, App State (Jr, P – Clayton, N.C.)
Jeremy Lee, South Alabama (Fr., P – Valley Grand, Ala.)
Aaron Barkley, Little Rock (Gr., RP – El Cajon, Calif.)
BT Riopelle, Coastal Carolina (Jr., C – Marietta, Ga.)
Dylan Paul, UTA (RS Sr., 1B – Allen, Texas)
Travis Washburn, ULM (So., 2B – Conroe, Texas)
Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina (So., SS – Bossier City, La.)
Grant Schulz, ULM (Jr., 3B – Mereaux, La.)
Tyler Duncan, Arkansas State (Sr., OF – Sooke, British Columbia, Canada)
Parker Chavers, Coastal Carolina (RS Jr., OF – Montgomery, Ala.)
Josh Smith, Georgia State (So., OF – College Park, Ga.)
Andrew Miller, UTA (Sr., UT – Frisco, Texas)
Noah Ledford, Georgia Southern (Jr., DH – Buford, Ga.)
Players Mentioned
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