ELON, N.C. – A pair of Elon baseball players were honored with spots on the 2015 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association’s all-state teams on Wednesday, June 10. Outfielder Ryan Cooper earned first-team honors, while outfielder Casey Jones was a second-team selection.
This is Cooper’s first all-state honor. Jones was a first-team pick in 2014.
Cooper, a senior from Owensville, Mo., led Elon and ranked second in the CAA with a .373 batting average while earning first-team All-CAA accolades. He also scored a team-high 45 runs and finished with 42 RBI. Of Cooper’s team-leading 75 hits, 22 went for extra bases (13 doubles, two triples and seven home runs) as he slugged .562 to rank sixth in the league. Cooper’s .414 batting average in CAA games was the best of any player in the league and his 41 hits in conference play tied for first. Cooper is one of two players to start every game in each of the past two seasons.
Jones, a senior from Midlothian, Va., hit .313 with a team-best 15 doubles in 2015 as he picked up first-team All-CAA honors. He added one triple and six homers while scoring 44 runs and driving in another 42. He was successful on eight of his nine stolen base attempts during the season. Jones hit .311 in CAA play, scoring 20 runs and driving in 29 with the aid of eight doubles and five homers. The 29 CAA RBI tied for third in the league. Jones also started every game over the past two years.
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.
NCCSIA All-State University Division Baseball Teams
First Team
SP: Heath Bowers, Campbell University
SP: Taylor Thurber, Appalachian State University
RP: Jordan Ramsey, UNC Wilmington
RP: Joe Goodman, High Point University
C: Gavin Stupienski, UNC Wilmington
IF: Bradley Strong, Western Carolina University
IF: Spencer Angelis, High Point University
IF: Terence Connelly, UNC Wilmington
IF: Corey Dick, UNC Wilmington
OF: Josh Greene, High Point University
OF: Cole Hallum, Campbell University
OF: Ryan Cooper, Elon University
DH: Matt Smith, Western Carolina University
Second Team
SP: Conor Lourey, High Point University
SP: Sean Geoghegan, Charlotte
RP: Nick Schavone, UNC Asheville
RP: Andrew Vernon, North Carolina Central University
C: Danny Bermudez, Western Carolina University
IF: Dillon Dobson, Appalachian State University
IF: Hunter Bryant, UNC Asheville
IF: Tommy Houmard, UNC Asheville
IF: Michael Pierson, Appalachian State University
OF: Zach Shield, UNC Wilmington
OF: Casey Jones, Elon University
OF: Brad Elwood, Charlotte
DH: Luke Dunlap, UNC Wilmington