WILMINGTON, N.C. – Twelve student-athletes, representing seven institutions, make up the fifth annual North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) University Division All-State baseball team released Wednesday.
Duke University infielder Nate Freiman highlights this year’s team as the lone repeat honoree, having also garnered recognition in 2007. Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular-season champion University of North Carolina at Wilmington topped the field with five on the all-state squad. Southern Conference champ Elon University had two picks, while league-rival University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Atlantic Coast Conference-member Duke, Atlantic 10 Conference champion University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Conference USA’s East Carolina University and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member North Carolina A&T State University all placed one students on the team.
The squad consists of student-athletes from NCAA Division I colleges and universities throughout the state. North Carolina sports information professionals submitted nominees and NCCSIA members selected the teams.
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 selects all-state teams in the university (NCAA Division I) and college (Division II, III, NAIA, NCCAA) divisions for women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball and baseball. Over 600 student-athletes have been recognized on all-state teams since 2003.
The 2008 NCCSIA all-state college baseball team is comprised of two starting pitchers, one relief pitcher, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders, and one designated hitter. The unit consists of the top 12 vote-getters and includes student-athletes involved in ties.
North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association 2008 University Division All-State Baseball Team.
Pos. Name Class School Hometown
SP Steven Hensley Junior Elon University Asheville, N.C.
SP Brad Holt Junior UNC Wilmington Albemarle, N.C.
RP Cameron Roth Freshman UNC Wilmington Poquoson, Va.
C Mark Carver Senior UNC Wilmington Wendell, N.C.
IF Nate Freiman * Junior Duke University Boston, Mass.
IF Daniel Hargrave Senior UNC Wilmington Hurdle Mills, N.C.
IF Ricky Orton Senior UNC Greensboro Bakersfield, Calif.
IF Cory Shaylor Freshman Charlotte Charlotte, N.C.
OF Jason Appel Senior UNC Wilmington Plainview, N.Y.
OF Harrison Eldridge Senior East Carolina Knoxville, Tenn.
OF Cory Harrilchak Junior Elon University Cary, N.C.
DH Jeremy Jones Senior North Carolina A&T State Fayetteville, N.C.
* – 2007 NCCSIA University Division All-State
UNC Wilmington senior catcher Mark Carver helped the Seahawks to a school-record 44 wins and was named the CAA Player of the Year. Carver tied the school’s single-season home run record (21) and ranked nationally with 82 runs batted in, also a school record. He was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 33rd round of the Major League Baseball draft earlier this month.
In the infield, UNC Greensboro senior Ricky Orton belted 15 homers and knocked in 59 runs for the Spartans, while also drawing a team-high 61 walks. An All-Southern Conference selection, Orton was selected by the Florida Marlins in the draft. Freiman, a junior, was picked in the 28th round by the Texas Rangers after hitting .381 with 11 round-trippers and 43 RBIs. UNC Wilmington senior Daniel Hargrave hit 18 homers and broke the school record with 71 runs scored. He was tabbed by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 22nd round of the draft. Rounding out the all-state infield is Charlotte freshman Cory Shaylor. The hometown product hit .366 for the 49ers and scored 46 runs.
In the outfield, UNC Wilmington senior Jason Appel led the way after hitting a team-best .397 and setting the school’s career hits mark (260). The First Team All-CAA selection was picked by the Tampa Bay Rays with the first pick of the 22nd round. Harrison Eldridge, a senior from East Carolina, hit .352, compiled a .464 on-base average and stole 32 bases for the Pirates, who played in the Myrtle Beach Regional of the NCAA playoffs. Elon junior Cory Harrilchak has the third and final outfield spot. He finished the season with a team-leading .410 batting average and stole 24 bases. The Cary, N.C., native earned All-Southern Conference honors after helping the Phoenix to the league’s regular-season and tournament titles, plus a spot in the Cary Regional of the NCAA playoffs.
At the designated hitter slot, North Carolina A&T senior Jeremy Jones returned to the lineup after missing the 2007 season, and posted a .404 batting average with 13 homers and 63 RBIs. He was a First Team All-MEAC selection for the second time in his career.
On the mound UNC Wilmington’s Brad Holt and Elon’s Steven Hensley, both juniors who were selected in the Major League Draft, were the top vote-getters. Holt, was drafted by the New York Mets with the 33rd pick overall, won his final 11 decisions, a school record, to finish with an 11-1 mark. The hard-throwing right-hander fanned 95 in 93 1/3 innings as the Seahawks’ ace. Hensley parlayed a 10-2 mark into a fourth-round selection by the Seattle Mariners. As the Phoenix ace, the All-Southern Conference selection struck out 99 in 92 2/3 innings.
UNC Wilmington freshman Cameron Roth was selected as the all-state reliever. He bolstered the Seahawks’ bullpen and posted a 5-3 mark with four saves. He was a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and a CAA All-Freshman honoree.