FGCU’s Tollett repeats as A-Sun Coach of Year
Florida Gulf Coast baseball coach Dave Tollett was named Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year Tuesday and four Eagles players were selected to the All-Atlantic Sun first-team squad.
For the first time in the history of the conference, players and coaches from four different institutions received the annual awards. Kennesaw State’s Chad Jenkins earned Pitcher of the Year; Stetson’s Jeremy Cruz is the Player of the Year; Belmont’s Dylan Craig won Freshman of the Year and Tollett repeated as Coach of the Year.
Tollett is the fifth head coach to win the award back-to-back. He led the Eagles to back-to-back regular season titles, combining for a 74-33 overall record and a 48-15 conference mark in the Eagles’ first two years in the A-Sun.
Much like 2008 when FGCU also won the regular season title, the Eagles led the way with four players selected to the All-Conference team.
Representing the Eagles are three sophomores, starting pitcher Chris Sale (7-4, 2.72 ERA, 104 K in 89.1 innings), third baseman Tim Roberson (.345 BA, 19 HR, 65 RBI) and designated hitter Zach Maxfield (.383 BA, league-best 20 HR, 66 RBI). From that group, only Sale made the All-Freshman team a season ago; plus senior Josh Upchurch, a Mariner High grad and the Eagles’ table-setter, who shared the team lead in runs and led in triples and stolen bases.
Sophomore Stephen Wickens earned a spot on the conference second team. He started every game this season at shortstop, batting .356, scored 44 runs, and 36 RBI.
Freshman Jason Forjet was named to the All-Freshman team.