Troy Takes Three SBC Awards

NEW ORLEANS – Troy pitcher Tyler Ray was named Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, shortstop Adam Bryant was honored as the league's co-player of the year, while the duo along with four teammates earned spots on the All-SunBelt teams as announced by the conference on Tuesday night.

Additionally, Troy head coach Bobby Pierce was named the 2011 Ron Maestri Coach of the Year as announced on Tuesday night at the Sun Belt Family Night prior to the beginning of the 2011 Sun Belt Tournament.

“I'm very pleased and it's certainly a great reward for the work those young men have put in,” Pierce said. “For me, it signifies that they have done all the right things, the right way. I know they are very honored that the coaches around the league saw their efforts on the field. Certainly, I feel great about that.”

No league member has swept all three awards since Troy joined the league for the 2006 season.

Both Ray and Bryant were named to the All-Sun Belt first team along with third baseman Tyler Hannah and pitcher/outfielder Tyson Workman. Senior second baseman T.J. Rivera and sophomore relief pitcher Nate Hill were selected for the second team.

Bryant, a 2010 All-American and first team All-Sun Belt selection, led the Sun Belt in hits, runs scored and RBI in 2011, while ranking second in doubles and total bases and fourth in home runs. He is the first Troy player to be named the league's player of the year.

“It's a great feeling for me as a coach to see a kid progress the way he has in our program,” Pierce said. “Last year, he was in the running for player of the year and he didn't get it. So to come back and put together a second-straight season that is worthy of player of the year consideration, and in this case earning the co-player of the year award, definitely signifies the fact that he comes to play every day.

It's a great way to honor him as a senior player that is hopefully moving on to pro ball.”

Bryant shares the player of the year award with FIU's Pablo Bermudez.

Ray leads the league with an 11-0 mark this season and third in ERA. He is one of just three pitchers in the league to surpass the 100 innings plateau in the regular season. Ray is the second Troy player to win the Sun Belt's highest honor for a pitcher (Josh Dew, 2007).

“He's put together a magnificent season and I know he wants it to continue on and on,” Pierce said. “He will be the first to tell you that he has had the support of his team – the relief part of the pitching staff and Todd McRae catching all those games, plus the offense and defense behind him. It is certainly a great honor that we had both the pitcher of the year and the player of the year in the league.”

Ray previously won the Sun Belt's Freshman of the Year award in 2008.

The coach of the year honor is the third for Pierce in his Troy tenure. He also received the award in 2006 from the Sun Belt and in 2005 while the Trojans were a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. It's the fifth overall coach of the year honor of Pierce's career.

Workman posted a 5-3 record on the mound with three saves and an ERA of 2.66, all while hitting .295 with one home run and 11 RBI's in 32 starts in the outfield and at designated hitter en route to the all-conference selection.

Hannah leads the league in conference batting average at .395 and is the overall Sun Belt leader in runs scored and doubles. He also ranks eighth in hits. His 27 doubles ranks in the top five nationally.

The four first team selections gives the Trojans 14 first team All-Sun Belt members since 2006, the most of any league member during that span and four more than second place (WKU – 10).

Rivera is batting .290 this season with 33 RBI. He has struck out just 11 times in 224 at-bats. The senior has started all but four games in his two-year career (107-of-111).

Hill has been electric out of the bullpen for the Trojans in 2011. He holds a 2.30 ERA this season and a 4-1 record with three saves. In Sun Belt games, Hill's ERA is a miniscule 0.91 with 41 strikeouts in just 29.2 innings.

Troy led the way with six total All-Sun Belt selections, followed by Florida Atlantic with five. Both FIU and Western Kentucky totaled four honorees.

The top-seeded Trojans begin action in the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Wednesday against eighth seed UALR. First pitch is set for 7 pm at Warhawk Field.

2011 Sun Belt Baseball Awards

2011 All-Sun Belt Second Team
SP - Phil Haig, FIU
SP - Tanner Perkins, WKU
RP - Nate Hill, Troy
C - Brent Tanner, South Alabama
1B - Mike Martinez, FIU
2B - T.J. Rivera, Troy
SS - Nick DelGuidice, Florida Atlantic
3B - Hank LaRue, Middle Tennessee
OF - Jared Andreoli, WKU
OF - Alex Hudak, Florida Atlantic
OF - Will Skinner, Middle Tennessee
DH - Lance Marvel, Louisiana-Lafayette
UTIL - Brad Hook - South Alabama

2011 All-Sun Belt First Team
SP - Paul Davis, Florida Atlantic
SP - Tyler Ray, Troy
RP - Hugh Adams, Florida Atlantic
C - Matt Rice, WKU
1B - Joey Rapp, Louisiana-Monroe
2B - Raymond Church, Florida Atlantic
SS - Adam Bryant, Troy
3B - Tyler Hannah, Troy
3B - Jeremy Patton, FIU
OF - Todd Baumgartner, Arkansas State
OF - Pablo Bermudez, FIU
OF - Kes Carter, WKU
DH - Nick Rountree, UALR
UTIL - Tyson Workman, Troy

2011 Co-Players of the Year
Pablo Bermudez, FIU
Adam Bryant, Troy

2011 Pitcher of the Year
Tyler Ray, Troy

2011 Freshman of the Year
Justin Hageman, WKU

2011 Ron Maestri Coach of the Year
Bobby Pierce, Troy

Troy University Athletics

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