Joe Urso Named NCBWA South Region Coach of Year

DALLAS - The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced its 2014 NCBWA All-South Region team on Thursday. A total of 11 Sunshine State Conference student-athletes were named to the team. Lynn's Sal Giardina, Jr. was named South Region Player of the Year, while Tampa Joe Urso was named South Region Coach of the Year.

Among the Spartans on the first team were Preston Packrall, Michael Danner and Stephen Dezzi. Fellow Spartans David Heintz and Orlando Rivera were second-team choices.

Joining (C) Giardina on the All-South Region First Team were: SP Preston Packrall (Tampa), RP Bill Mendek (Lynn), 1B Fran Whitten (Saint Leo), OF Michael Danner (Tampa), OF Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry), DH Stephen Dezzi (Tampa) and UT Dylan Harris (Saint Leo).

Earning a spot on the second team were: SP David Heintz (Tampa), 2B Orlando Rivera (Tampa) and OF Dominic Brugnoni (Florida Southern).

A senior from Tampa, Fla., Giardina batted .363 with 57 hits, 37 RBIs, 18 runs scored, 16 doubles and four home runs. In conference action, Giardina led the SSC with a .427 batting average and a .547 on base percentage. Against conference opponents the senior recorded 32 hits, 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored. He slugged .587 with nine doubles and one home run. Giardina finished the regular-season ranked in the top-5 in the SSC in each of the said conference statistics. In conference action, the catcher led the SSC with seven runners caught steals. Giardina was also named SSC Player of the Year.

Tampa's Urso earns his ninth SSC Coach of the Year distinction-third-straight. After winning the 2013 NCAA Division II National Championship, Urso led his Spartans to their third-straight SSC Championship (16 th overall) in 2014 with a 22-1 conference record. Tampa also set a new NCAA Division II baseball single-season win percentage mark with its 47-2 (.959). Savannah State held the previous record since 2000 with a 46-3 (.939) record. Tampa has been ranked No. 1 since week one of the season in every NCAA Division II poll.

South Region Player of the Year: Sal Giardina, Jr., Lynn
South Region Pitcher of the Year: Jordan DeLorenzo, West Florida
South Region Coach of the Year: Joe Urso, Tampa

NCBWA Division II All-South Region First-Team
SP Jordan DeLorenzo, West Florida
SP Jimmy Gutowski, Eckerd
SP Preston Packrall, Tampa
RP Bill Mendek, Lynn
C Sal Giardina, Jr., Lynn
1B Fran Whitten, Saint Leo
2B Matthew Fears, Valdosta State
3B Cash Oliver, Tuskegee
SS Fernando Tanaka, Stillman
OF James Campbell, Albany State
OF Michael Danner, Tampa
OF Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, Barry
DH Stephen Dezzi, Tampa
UT Dylan Harris, Saint Leo

NCBWA Division II All-South Region Second-Team
SP Joseph Falletta, Stillman
SP David Heintz, Tampa
SP Michael Manley, Delta State
RP Tyler Valis, Stillman
C Carlos Leal, Delta State
1B Nick Baldelli-Boggs, Stillman
2B Orlando Rivera, Tampa
3B Chris Farrell, Palm Beach Atlantic
SS Mike Reed, Valdosta State
OF Dominic Brugnoni, Florida Southern
OF Jordan Chovanec, Delta State
OF Austin Southall, West Florida
DH Bryant Hayman, Valdosta State
UT Sean Plunkett, West Florida