MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball head coach Mark Calvi was recently named the 2016 Large College Division-Division I Coach of the Year by the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association (AlaBCA).

It marked the second time in the last four years Calvi has earned the honor from the AlaBCA after receiving the honor following the 2013 season.

"I am very thankful to my team, coaches and support staff," Calvi said. "Unfortunately you can't give everyone involved a plaque. The head coach gets all the credit, but I give all credit to the team and my staff:  Coach (Bob) Keller, Coach (Alan) Luckie, Coach (Chris) Prothro, (strength and conditioning) Coach (Joey) Choron, (director of operations) Coach (Andrew) Carden and (certified athletic trainer) Chris McDonald. Everyone had a hand in our success, but it's just my name on the plaque. To get honored with something like that, you had the right people involved so you are proud to accept the award on their behalf. I am thankful to good coaches and hard-working people and players around me, and feel very fortunate to have received this award again."

Calvi led the Jaguars to the program's 16th Sun Belt title and 26th NCAA Regional appearance in 2016, and closed the season ranked No. 26 in the final Collegiate Baseball poll. USA went 42-22 overall and 21-9 in Sun Belt Conference play while advancing to the NCAA Tallahassee (Fla.) Regional final. The Jags also broke the school's single-season fielding percentage record for the second straight season with a league-leading mark of .979, which also ranked in the top 10 nationally.

Right-handed pitcher Kevin Hill was named the SBC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season, and was also named the SBC Male Student-Athlete of the Year in addition to earning All-America honors from three different organizations as well as first-team all-region and first-team all-SBC accolades. 

Center fielder Cole Billingsley earned his second consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2016, in addition to first-team all-SBC and second-team all-region honors after leading the league in stolen bases (31), which ranked 13th nationally, for the second straight year. Outfielder Travis Swaggerty was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and Drew LaBounty earned first-team all-SBC honors at shortstop after leading the league and finishing sixth nationally in walks (59). Both Hill and Billingsley were selected in the 2016 MLB Draft. 

South Alabama will open the 2017 season Fri., Feb. 17 when it hosts Eastern Illinois at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).