Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Western Oregon shortstop Blake Miller is a consensus first team NCAA Division II Baseball All-American.

Miller, who led the GNAC in hitting with a .410 average, was named to the first team on all three teams selected including the American Baseball Coaches Association team announced Tuesday.

Earlier Miller was selected to the first team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and by Daktronics. The Daktronics team is selected by the nation's sports information directors.

Wolf pitcher Grady Wood, who had a 12-0 record and a 1.69 ERA, was voted to the first team by Daktronics and the NCBWA and was a second team ABCA selection. WOU first baseman Bo Folkinga, who batted .384 and led the GNAC in home runs (13) and RBI (68), earned third team honors from the NCBWA and Daktronics.

The NCBWA also announced its regional Freshman-of-the-Year awards. Saint Martin's catcher Chandler Tracy was the West Region winner.

Miller is just the second GNAC player to win ABCA first team honors joining WOU's Blake Keitzman who was a first team pick in 2009.

Miller and Wood joined Central Washington shortstop Jamie Nilsen (2008) and Western Oregon pitcher Nick Waechter (2006) as the only GNAC players to earn NCBWA first team honors and Nilsen (2008) as the lone Daktronics first team selections in GNAC history.

ABCA: First Team - Blake Miller, WOU (SS, 6-2, Jr., Salem, OR). Second Team - Grady Wood, WOU (P, 6-2, 200, Sr., Eugene, OR – Junction City). Third Team - Bo Folkinga, WOU (1B, 6-4, 215, Sr., Twin Falls, ID).

NCBWA: First Team - Blake Miller, WOU (SS, 6-2, Jr., Salem, OR).; Grady Wood, WOU (P, 6-2, 200, Sr., Eugene, OR – Junction City). Third Team - Bo Folkinga, WOU (1B, 6-4, 215, Sr., Twin Falls, ID).

Daktronics: First Team - Blake Miller, WOU (SS, 6-2, Jr., Salem, OR).; Grady Wood, WOU (P, 6-2, 200, Sr., Eugene, OR – Junction City). Third Team - Bo Folkinga, WOU (1B, 6-4, 215, Sr., Twin Falls, ID).