LaPorta and Price lead a list of players named to the first and second-team All-SEC squads for this season. A semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, presented to the top player in collegiate baseball, LaPorta is hitting an SEC-best .419 with 59 runs, 51 walks, 50 RBI and 19 home runs. He leads the league with an .838 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .591 and drew 10 walks (nine intentional) in 14 plate appearances last weekend versus Tennessee. Price was named the lone National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball after he struck out 15 batters in 8 2/3 innings in the Commodores 4-1 win over LSU last Thursday. He gave up one run on four hits as he improved to 10-0 on the season. The 15 strikeouts allowed him to shatter his own single-season school record of 155 strikeouts set a year ago. He now has 164 which ranks as the sixth most in SEC history.
Corbin led the Commodores to a 46-10 overall record and a 22-8 record in conference play to win the SEC Championship. The overall win total is the best in school history, ahead of the 45 set in 2004, while the 22 conference wins is the most by a SEC team since South Carolina won 25 in 2000. Henry, who was named second team All-SEC, is the third Rebel since 2002 to be named SEC Freshman of the Year.
Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes. The complete 2007 All-SEC Team follows:
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Matt LaPorta, Florida SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - *David Price, Vanderbilt SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Jordan Henry, Ole Miss SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Emeel Salem, Alabama SEC COACH OF THE YEAR - *Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
* unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
1B - Matt LaPorta, Florida 2B - Travis Jones, South Carolina 3B - Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt SS - Zack Cozart, Ole Miss C - Edward Easley, Mississippi State OF - *Emeel Salem, Alabama OF - *Dominic de la Osa, Vanderbilt OF - Brian Leclerc, Florida DH - Phil Disher, South Carolina P - *David Price, Vanderbilt P - Nick Schmidt, Arkansas P - Jess Todd, Arkansas RP - Casey Weathers, Vanderbilt
SECOND TEAM
1B - Justin Smoak, South Carolina 2B - Jeffrey Rea, Mississippi State 3B - James Darnell, South Carolina SS - Ryan Flaherty, Vanderbilt C - J.P. Arencibia, Tennessee OF - Jordan Henry, Ole Miss OF - Mike Bianucci, Auburn OF - Julio Borbon, Tennessee DH - Alex Avila, Alabama P - Lance Lynn, Ole Miss P - James Adkins, Tennessee RP - Jared Bradford, LSU RP - Cody Satterwhite, Ole Miss
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM
1B - Yan Gomes, Tennessee 2B - Robert Brooks, Auburn 2B - Zach Miller, Ole Miss 3B - Connor Powers, Mississippi State SS - Cole Figueroa, Florida C - Sean Ochinko, LSU OF - *Jordan Henry, Ole Miss OF - Blake Dean, LSU OF - Matt den Dekker, Florida OF - Jonathan Pigott, Florida DH - Jeff Lockwood, Tennessee P - Mike Minor, Vanderbilt P - Nathan Baker, Ole Miss RP - Dallas Keuchel, Arkansas