LAFAYETTE, La. – Jordan Patterson was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, head coach Mark Calvi was named the SBC Coach of the Year and seven Jaguars earned all-conference honors at the SBC Family Fun Night Tuesday at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
Patterson became the sixth Jaguar all-time to win the award, which is voted on by the league’s coaches, and the first since David Freese in 2006. Other former Jags to receive the honor are Mike Zimmerman (1990), Jon Lieber (1992), Marlon Anderson (1995), Juan Pierre (1998) and Freese.
“I am grateful to the coaches in the league,” Patterson said. “It’s a huge honor, but it wouldn’t be possible without my teammates and coaches. It is an individual honor, but it’s a team award and I am thankful to everyone who played a part in it.”
Along with being named the league’s player of the year, Patterson was also named first-team all-SBC as a utility player. It marked the second consecutive season the Mobile native has earned all-conference honors, and his first first-team selection.
He was joined by Dustin Dalken (designated hitter) and Robby Campbell (second base) on the first team. Matt Bell (starting pitcher), Kyle Bartsch (relief pitcher), Whitt Dorsey (catcher) and Nolan Earley (outfield) were named second-team all-SBC. USA’s seven all-conference selections tied Louisiana-Lafayette for the most in the league, and it marked the most by a USA team since 2006 when seven Jags were named all-SBC.
The Jaguars were also recognized for their regular-season championship, which marked the program’s 14th Sun Belt title.
Following the team recognition and trophy presentation, head coach Mark Calvi was named the Sun Belt Conference Ron Maestri Coach of the Year. It marked the eighth time a Jaguar head coach has been named the league’s coach of the year following Eddie Stanky (1983) and Steve Kittrell (1992, ’96, ’98, ’99, 2001, ’03).
Calvi led the Jaguars to 40 regular-season wins – the most since 2003 – and 20 conference victories which were the most since USA’s 27 in 1999.
“This is a very special award that is possible due to the hard work of the student-athletes and the coaching staff,” Calvi said. “It’s an honor to be recognized, but it is a team award that was earned because of the dedication and commitment made by the players and coaches, and I couldn’t be more proud of what they have done up to this point in the season.”
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
2013 Sun Belt Baseball All-Conference First Team
Daniel Wright (Arkansas State, Senior, SP)
Austin Gomber (Florida Atlantic, Sophomore, SP)
Austin Robichaux (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sophomore, SP)
Shane McCain (Troy, Junior, SP)
Hugh Adams (Florida Atlantic, RS-Senior, RP)
Aramis Garcia (FIU, Sophomore, C)
Ryan Huck (WKU, Senior, 1B)
Robby Campbell (South Alabama, Senior, 2B)
Tyler Vaughn (Troy, Junior, SS)
Logan Pierce (Troy, Senior, 3B)
Dex Kjerstad (Louisiana-Lafayette, Junior, OF)
Seth Harrison (Louisiana-Lafayette, Junior, OF)
Danny Collins (Troy, Junior, OF)
Dustin Dalken (South Alabama, Senior, DH)
Jordan Patterson (South Alabama, Junior, UTIL)
2013 Sun Belt Baseball All-Conference Second Team
Chance Cleveland (UALR, Senior, SP)
Matt Bell (South Alabama, Junior, SP)
Kyle Bartsch (South Alabama, Senior, RP)
Whitt Dorsey (South Alabama, Senior, C)
Trae Santos (Troy, Junior, 1B)
Johnny Thomas (Middle Tennessee, Senior, 2B)
Blake Trahan (Louisiana-Lafayette, Freshman, SS)
Tyler Girouard (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sophomore, 3B)
Nathan Pittman (Florida Atlantic, Senior, OF)
Ryan Stephens (Middle Tennessee, Jr., OF)
Nolan Earley (South Alabama, Senior, OF)
Caleb Adams (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sophomore, DH)
Ryan Leonards (Louisiana-Lafayette, Junior, UTIL)
2013 Sun Belt Baseball Player of the Year
Jordan Patterson (South Alabama, Junior, UTIL)
2013 Sun Belt Baseball Pitcher of the Year
Shane McCain (Troy, Junior, SP)
2013 Sun Belt Baseball Freshman of the Year
Blake Trahan (Louisiana-Lafayette, SS)
2013 Sun Belt Baseball Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Mark Calvi, South Alabama
