All-State University Division Baseball announced with Macklin(N.C. A&T), Antolik(HPU), Pritchard/Brebbia(Elon) and Ridge(UNCW)

NCCSIA Announces 2011 North Carolina All-State University Division Baseball Team

ELON, N.C. – Twelve student-athletes representing six institutions
comprise the 2011 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association
(NCCSIA) University Division All-State Baseball Team released Wednesday(today).

The eighth-annual team consists of NCAA Division I student-athletes from
North Carolina colleges and universities. North Carolina sports information
professionals submitted the nominees and NCCSIA members voted for the
All-State team. NCCSIA’s all-state softball teams will be released Thursday,
June 9.

Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season champion Charlotte led the way by
placing five students on the team, while both Southern Conference (SoCon)
regular-season titlist Elon and UNC Wilmington had two students honored.
North Carolina A&T, Western Carolina and High Point had one honoree.

The 2011 team had one unanimous selection, Elon reliever John Brebbia. Three
students are repeat selections from 2010: UNCW infielder Hunter Ridge, Elon
infielder Neal Pritchard and N.C. A&T outfielder Xavier Macklin.

Along with Ridge and Pritchard, the all-state infield includes Western
Carolina’s Ross Heffley and Charlotte’s Shane Basen. Ridge, a sophomore,
helped UNCW to a 31-28 overall record and an 18-12 Colonial Athletic
Association (CAA) ledger. He was a Second Team All-CAA honoree and led the
Seahawks with 17 doubles and 60 RBI while hitting .354. Pritchard, a senior,
helped Elon to its third regular-season SoCon title in four years by hitting
.295 with a team-high eight homers and 39 RBI. He earned Second Team
All-SoCon recognition and helped the Phoenix finish 36-21 overall (23-7
SoCon). Heffley, a junior who claimed Louisville Slugger All-America and
First Team All-SoCon distinction, hit .419 with a team-best 11 homers, 18
doubles and 65 RBI. Basen, a sophomore, helped Charlotte to a 43-16 season
(17-7 A-10) after hitting .398 with a team-best 17 doubles. He scored 43
runs, drove in 35 and stole 15 bases for the 49ers.

The all-state outfield is comprised of Macklin, Charlotte’s Justin Wilson
and High Point’s Steve Antolik. Macklin, a junior, earned his second
all-state nod after he belted a team-best 22 homers and drove in a
program-high 67 runs. He hit .355 and is a three-time First Team All-MEAC
selection. Wilson, a senior, hit .341 with a team-best 48 runs scored. He
swiped 25 bases, had five triples and drove in 38 runs for the 49ers.
Antolik, a senior, earned First Team All-Big South Conference honors after
topping High Point with a .374 batting average, 20 doubles and 44 RBI. He
also scored a team-high 47 runs as the Panthers finished with a 24-32
overall record (9-18 Big South).

Charlotte junior Ross Steedley earned the all-state catcher’s spot after
hitting a team-best .342 with 22 runs scored, nine doubles, a triple, two
homers and 31 RBI. He was a First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection.

At designated hitter, UNCW’s Thomas Pope earned the all-state nod. The
junior led the Seahawks with a .396 batting average and 19 stolen bases. A
First Team All-CAA selection, Pope also scored 48 runs, had 13 doubles, two
triples, five homers and 46 RBI.

Both all-state starting pitchers hail from Charlotte’s program, junior
Andrew Smith and freshman Tyler Barnette. Smith was the A-10 Pitcher of the
Year and a first team all-conference honoree. He went 10-4 with a 1.81 ERA
over 109.1 innings. Smith walked just 26 hitters, fanned 92 and held
opponents to a .213 batting average. Barnette nearly matched his 49ers
teammate, as he went 9-2 with a 2.29 ERA. In 90.1 innings the A-10 Rookie of
the Year walked 24 and struck out 56. Opponents hit just .224 off of
Barnette.

Elon’s Brebbia, a junior, collected SoCon Pitcher of the Year honors with a
7-1 record, a 1.76 ERA and three saves for the Phoenix. In 41.0 innings over
27 appearances, he issued just eight walks and fanned 35 hitters. Opponents
hit just .171 off of the righty.

Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals
from North Carolina’s NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent
institutions for the purpose of promoting college athletics in the state.
Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or
conference located in North Carolina whose responsibilities include sports
information.

*2011 NCCSIA All-State Baseball Team (University Division)*
*Pos. Name School Class
Hometown*
SP Tyler Barnette Charlotte
Fr.
Hickory, N.C.

SP Andrew Smith Charlotte Jr.
Matthews, N.C.
RP John Brebbia* Elon
Jr.
Chatham, Mass.
C Ross Steedley Charlotte
Jr.
Granite Quarry, N.C.

INF Shane Basen Charlotte So.
Waxhaw, N.C.

INF Ross Heffley Western Carolina Jr.
Snellville,
Ga.

INF Neal Pritchard# Elon
Sr.
Asheboro, N.C.

INF Hunter Ridge# UNC Wilmington So. Asheboro,
N.C.

OF Steve Antolik High Point Sr.
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

OF Xavier Macklin# North Carolina A&T Jr. Rocky
Mount, N.C.

OF Justin Wilson Charlotte
Sr.
Canton, N.C.

DH Thomas Pope UNC Wilmington Jr.
Clinton,
N.C.

* Unanimous selection

# 2010 NCCSIA All-State Honoree