LYNCHBURG, VA. – VMI senior outfielder Rob Dickinson has been voted 2013 Big South Baseball Player of the Year, while Campbell skipper Greg Goff was tabbed the 2013 Coach of the Year by the League’s head coaches, it was announced this evening at the a special baseball awards banquet held at the club room of the Williams Stadium Tower on the campus of Liberty University. The coaches voted Campbell hurler Ryan Thompson Pitcher of the Year and Coastal Carolina pitcher Seth Lamando the League’s Freshman of the Year. Justin Creel of Coastal Carolina and Brad Zebedis of Presbyterian College were voted Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year by the League’s sports information directors.
Dickinson, a senior from Richmond, Va., finished the 2013 regular-season as the League’s batting champion as he posted a .399 average at the plate. His 1.52 hits per game lead the Conference as he is also first in the League with 118 total bases. He posted seven long balls on the year to rank tied for No. 3 in the Big South, while his 46 RBI is also third. Dickinson slugged .596 to rank second in the Big South and posted an on-base percentage of .461 to rank third in the League. Dickinson totaled 79 total hits during the season to rank second in the League. He reached base 27-straight times from March 15-April 26 and notched a 14-game hitting streak during that span. Dickinson totaled four first-place votes to finish with 20 points, ahead of Jeff Kemp of Radford, who received two top bids and 17 points.
Goff guided his squad to the Big South North Division title and No. 1 overall seed in the Big South after posting a 19-5 League record and a 46-9 overall record. Campbell currently ranks No. 1 in the Big South with a team batting average of .317 to go along with a League-best 121 stolen bases. His squad is also ranked No. 1 with 355 RBI. On the mound, the Camels posted a League-best 2.67 ERA during the regular-season. Goff was a unanimous selection as he totaled all 12 first-place votes. Coastal Carolina mentor Gary Gilmore was second in the voting with 16 points.
Thompson, a junior reliever from Turner, Ore., turned in a League-best 0.82 ERA during the 2013 campaign. He was a perfect 8-0 on the hill with 53 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched. He was named to the NCBWA Mid-Season Stopper of the Year Watch List and finished the regular-season with nine saves. He pitched 29.3 innings of scoreless baseball from April 5-May 18 and has allowed just five extra base hits on the year. Thompson received seven top bids and 16 points in the voting. Ryan Connolly received one first-place vote and eight points to finish second.
Lamando, a right-handed pitcher from Hopewell Juncition, N.Y., began the season as the Chanticleers’ closer and moved into the No. 2 spot in the weekend rotation due to injuries. He went 5-3 during the regular-season with an ERA of 2.95. Lamando notched 54 strikeouts on the year, including a career-high nine strikeouts over six innings against Radford. His opponent batting average was .220 in 55 innings pitched. Lamando garnered four top votes and 24 points to finish ahead of Colton Konvicka of Longwood, who notched two No. 1 votes and 13 points.
Creel, a Big South Conference Christenberry Award Winner, has played in 31 games for the Chanticleers. He posted a .330 on-base percentage with 17 hits, two doubles and 7 RBI, including three game-winning hits in the regular-season. He was also named to the 2013 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 team.
Zebedis was tabbed a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 team member. He started every game for the Blue Hose and finished second on the team with a .292 average at the plate. Zebedis totaled 62 hits, 12 doubles, 4 home runs and a triple on the year. He also notched 30 RBI and an on-base percentage of .354.
2013 Big South Conference Baseball Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
OF: Rob Dickinson, VMI
OF: Bobby Ison, Charleston Southern
OF: Ben McQuown, Campbell
1B: Spencer Angelis, High Point
2B: Michael Felton, Campbell
3B: Elijah Trail, Campbell (tie)
3B: Alex Owens, Longwood (tie)
SS: Jeff Kemp, Radford
C: Trey Wimmer. Liberty
DH: Zack Hagaman, Charleston Southern
SP: Ryan Mattes, Campbell
SP: Ben Smith, Coastal Carolina
SP: Matt Fraudin, Gardner-Webb
RP: Ryan Thompson, Campbell
Second Team All-Conference
OF: Jacob May, Coastal Carolina
OF: Ryan Retz, High Point
OF: Clayton Brown, Campbell
1B: Brad Zebedis, Presbyterian College
2B: Bryan Aanderud, Liberty
3B: Chad Smith, Winthrop
SS: Brent Graham, Campbell
C: Will Remillard, Coastal Carolina (tie)
C:Matt Winn, VMI (tie)
DH: David Olson, Campbell
SP: Jacob Newberry, High Point
SP: Heath Bowers, Campbell
SP: Tory Schroff, Charleston Southern
RP: Ryan Connolly, Coastal Carolina
All-Academic Team
David Olson, Campbell
Alex Tomasovich, Charleston Southern
Justin Creel, Coastal Carolina
Andrew Barnett, Gardner-Webb
Will Resnik, High Point
Trey Lambert, Liberty
Brandon Vick, Longwood
Brad Zebedis, Presbyterian College
Tyler Costello, Radford
Dillon Tabar, UNC Asheville
Drew Bryan, VMI
Max Vogel, Winthrop
Player of the Year
Rob Dickinson, OF, VMI
Pitcher of the Year
Ryan Thompson, RP, Campbell
Freshman of the Year
Seth Lamando, RHP, Coastal Carolina
Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Justin Creel, Coastal Carolina
Brad Zebedis, Presbyterian College
Coach of the Year
Greg Goff, Campbell
