CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A record five High Point University baseball players earned All-Big South honors, the league announced on Sunday. Junior Spencer Angelis was named first-team All-Big South for the second-straight season, Juniors Dane McDermott, Josh Spano and John McGillicuddy were named second-team All-Big South and freshman Josh Greene was named honorable mention All-Big South.
In addition to being named second-team All-Conference, McGillicuddy was also named to the Big South All-Academic Team.
“This is a tremendous credit to this team and the individual accomplishments of the guys who were honored,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “To have a record five guys named to the All-Conference teams is a amazing accomplishment. I am extremely proud of everyone who was recognized.”
Angelis is the first two-time first-team All-Big South selection in program history. He started all 51 games for the Panthers in 2014 and led the team with a .385 batting average, 36 RBI and 35 runs scored. The junior is third in the Big South in batting average, fourth in hits (77), second in on-base percentage (.469) and fourth in slugging percentage (.515). Angelis led all Big South players in batting average and on-base percentage and was second in slugging percentage in conference games. He also finished first on the team in extra-base hits with 15 doubles, one triple and three home runs. Angelis was named Big South Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 24 after leading HPU to a series win over William & Mary.
“Spencer Angelis is an extremely talented player who has put together back-to-back stellar seasons for us,” Cozart said. “It is a tremendous credit to his ability that he is the first HPU player in our Div. I era to be a back-to-back first-team All-Conference selection.”
McDermott has played in all 51 games this season with 50 starts this season. He hit .285 during the regular season with 22 RBI and 33 runs scored. The junior is also tied for the team lead with seven stolen bases. McDermott hit .410 with 14 runs scored in April and was named the Big South Player of the Week on April 7 after helping lead HPU to five wins in six games, hitting .481 with 13 hits and nine runs scored.
“Dane McDermott has been a spark for us this season out of the leadoff spot and a plus defender in the outfield,” Cozart said. “I am very proud that he has been recognized by the conference after the way he has performed this season.”
Spano has started 50 games for High Point, including 44 behind the plate. He is hitting .271 with nine doubles, three home runs, 27 RBI and 21 runs scored. The catcher ranks among the conference leaders with 16 caught base stealers on the season. Since April 1, Spano has hit .321 with a team-high 17 RBI.
“Josh Spano has ben a workhorse for us behind the plate this year,” Cozart said. ” He is an elite defender at the catcher position and is a dangerous bat in the middle of our lineup. Being named second-team All-Conference is a great recognition of his hard work and ability.”
McGillicuddy has made 13 starts as High Point’s Friday night starter this season and is 6-2 with a 2.37 ERA. He has thrown three complete-game shutouts this season, which leads the Big South Conference. He also ranks among the conference leaders in wins, innings pitched, complete games and opponent batting average. McGillicuddy has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 starts this season. He pitched a complete-game one-hit shutout against Coastal Carolina and struck out a career-high eight in 7-2/3 innings against VMI.
“I am excited to see John McGillicuddy recognized as an All-Conference selection,” Cozart said. “He has been the anchor of our rotation all season and to have three complete-game shutouts in one year is an amazing accomplishment.”
Greene played in 47 games with 42 starts in his first season with High Point and finished the regular season with a .277 batting average, 29 RBI and 30 runs scored. Greene leads the Big South with four triples to go along with nine doubles and three home runs. The freshman finished second on the team with a .350 batting average in conference play.
“Josh Greene has had a special freshman year,” Cozart said. “He has hit in the middle of the lineup for the majority of the season and has been a very good defender in centerfield. I am glad he was recognized as an All-Conference player.”
The five All-Conference honorees by High Point breaks the previous program of three honorees set by the Panthers in 2010 and tied last season.
High Point has earned the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Big South Baseball Championship and will face No. 5 Radford in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday, May 20, in Rock Hill, S.C. The game between the Panthers and Highlanders will be the second game of the evening session and will begin approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of the game between No. 1 Liberty and No. 8 Gardner-Webb, which will begin at 4:30 p.m.
2014 Big South Conference Baseball All-Conference Award Winners
Player of the Year
Ryan Seiz, Jr., Liberty
Pitcher of the Year
Trey Lambert, Sr., Liberty
Freshman of the Year
Parker Bean, RHP, Liberty
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Trey Lambert, RHP, Liberty
Coach of the Year
Jim Toman, Liberty
First Team
OF: Bobby, Ison, Charleston Southern
OF: TJ Olesczuk, Winthrop
OF: Patrick Marshall, Radford
IF: Ryan Seiz, Liberty
IF: Alex Tomasovich, Charleston Southern
IF: Spencer Angelis, High Point
IF: Alex Close, Liberty
C: Danny Grauer, Liberty
UTL: Connor Owings, Coastal Carolina
DH: Andrew Windell, Jr., Charleston Southern
SP: Trey Lambert, Liberty
SP: Parker Bean, Liberty
SP: Aaron Myers, Longwood
RP: Ryan Thompson, Campbell
Second Team
OF: Brandon Angus, VMI
OF: Nick Berry, Charleston Southern
OF: Dane McDermott, High Point
IF: Matt Dickason, Longwood
IF: Alexander Lee, Radford
IF: Hunter Higgerson, Radford
IF: Dalton Britt, Liberty
C: Josh Spano, High Point
DH: Matt Simmons, Gardner-Webb
SP: John McGillicuddy, High Point
SP: Heath Bowers, Campbell
SP: Reed Garrett, VMI
RP: Ashton Perritt, Liberty
Honorable Mention (in no particular order)
Josh Green, OF, High Point
John Reilly, INF, Campbell
Chase Shelton, INF, Charleston Southern
Ryan Koopman, RHP, Campbell
Matt Fraudin, RHP, Gardner-Webb
All-Academic Team
Matt Parrish, Campbell
Alex Tomasovich, Charleston Southern
Tyler Chadwick, Coastal Carolina
Andrew Barnett, Gardner-Webb
John McGillicuddy, High Point
Trey Lambert, Liberty
Kyri Washington, Longwood
Brad Zebedis, Presbyterian College
Patrick Marshall, Radford
Eli Miller, UNC Asheville
David Geary, VMI
TJ Olesczuk, Winthrop