SAU Sports Information
Already named the Central Region Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association (NCBWA) and the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA), Southern Arkansas senior outfielder Trevor Rucker is now a consensus Central Region Player of the Year as he received that distinction from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) as it was announced by the ABCA on Wednesday.
In addition to Rucker earning Player of the Year honors, he was named to the All-Central Region First-Team as an outfielder, making him a consensus all-region first-team selection. Joining Rucker on the ABCA’s All-Central Region team were Dalton Algiene and Mark Fontenot. Algiene was a first-team pick, while Fontenot was a named to the second-team.
Rucker, who was recently named as one of 12 finalists for the Tino Martinez Division II Player of the Year Award.
Algiene, a senior right-handed pitcher from Watauga, Texas, makes his third all-region team overall and is second first-team as he was previously named as a first-teamer by the D2CCA.
An All-GAC First-Team Starting Pitcher, Algiene ended the year 10-4 with a 2.55 ERA. Having tossed three complete games, Algiene was a part of four of SAU's five shutouts with a pair of solo efforts and combining for two more.
In 81.1 innings pitched, Algiene struck out 95 batters for an impressive 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He registered double-digit strikeouts three times this year with a season and career-high 12 Ks coming against GAC preseason favorites, Oklahoma Baptist.
Fontenot, a junior first baseman from Oberlin, La., receives his second all-region honor as he was previously placed on the NCBWA’s honorable mention team for the Central Region.
The ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans will be announced on Tuesday, May 30.