collecting hardware

Awards season was very rewarding for the Magnolia State’s NCAA Division I programs. Southern Miss’ Nick Monistere won the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Award; Golden Eagles teammate Carson Paetow won the league’s leadership award; Jackson State’s Eric Elliott is the SWAC’s pitcher of the year; and Mississippi State’s Ace Reese was named the SEC’s newcomer of the year. USM’s J.B. Middleton – who won the Ferriss Trophy as the state’s top player – and Colby Allen were first-team All-SBC picks along with Monistere. Reese, a transfer from Houston, was also first-team All-SEC. Ole Miss had two players – Luke Hill and Mason Morris – named to the All-SEC second team, and JSU had two – Jordan McCladdie and Wilbert Perez – make second-team All-SWAC. Worth noting: In the jucos, Pearl River Community College, which won the MACCC and Region 23 titles, had six players make first-team all-conference, including player of the year Caston Thompson and pitcher of the year K.K. Clark. In the small college ranks, as previously announced, Bobby Halford at William Carey, Rodney Batts at Delta State and Jim Page at Millsaps won conference coach of the year honors. Carey’s Josh Alexander was the SSAC player of the year; DSU’s Drake Fontenot won GSC pitcher of the year honors; and Millsaps’ Bradley Pelle (player) and Nick Tarantino (pitcher) swept the SAA’s top awards.