FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
West Point, N.Y. – Veteran Army baseball coach Joe Sottolano has been named the ABCA/Diamond Sports Company NCAA Division I Regional Coach of the Year, it was recently announced.
Sottolano will be formally recognized when the American Baseball Coaches Association hosts its annual convention in Dallas January 7-10. The Hall of Fame/Coach of the Year Banquet is scheduled for Jan. 8.
Sottolano is being recognized following the Black Knights historic run to an NCAA Regional Final.
Army finished the season with a 36-21 mark, recording the third highest victory total in school history. The Black Knights won a pair of regional games before falling in the "championship game" of the Austin Regional to national top seed Texas at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas.
The Black Knights captured the Patriot League regular season title and then dispatched Holy Cross and Lafayette to win the Patriot League Tournament championship.
Army was assigned to the Austin, Texas, NCAA Regional. Following a 3-1 loss to the Longhorns, Army beat second-seed Texas State 7-4 and then eliminated #3 Boston College with a 4-3 victory.
Playing for the fourth time in three days, Army was within two outs of beating top-seeded Texas and earning a Super Regional berth for the first time before falling 14-10 to the host school.
The playoff run earned the Black Knights votes in national polls and helped Joey Henshaw, Clint Moore and Zach Price earn All-America honors.
In addition, Tyler Anderegg was named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a second team Academic All-American and Ben Koenigsfeld complemented his Patriot League Tournament MVP award with Pitcher of the Year honors and earned two first team Patriot League citations, one as a pitcher and one as an outfielder. Joining Anderegg and Koenigsfeld on the first team were first baseman Kevin McKague, second baseman Zach Price, also the league’s Rookie of the Year, Moore at shortstop and Henshaw at designated hitter. Kyle Fleming was named a second team outfielder.
Sottolano, who completed his 10th season in June, has led the Black Knights to three NCAA Regional trips, has registered at least 25 wins in each of his last six seasons, captured four league regular season championships and made five tournament appearances in the last six years.
Under the guidance of Sottolano, Army has posted four 30-win campaigns in the last six years and this year set or tied 47 school, individual and team records. The Black Knights have posted five consecutive 25-victory seasons.
Sottolano, who has been twice named the Patriot League Coach of the Year, sports a career record of 271-201-5. He needs 11 wins to become the all-time winningest baseball coach at Army. Dan Roberts won 281 games during his 14 years.
In addition to Sottolano, the ABCA will recognize Fresno State’s Mike Batesole as the National Coach of the Year.
