Eagles' Koeneman Named First Team ABCA All-American

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Carson-Newman first baseman Kyle Koeneman (Seymour, Tenn.) has been named to the American Baseball Coaches' Association Division II All-America First Team, officials announced Wednesday.

Koeneman was selected by the coaches in the infielder/utility position after starting 48 games for the Eagles at first base and pitcher. He also made one start at catcher, a 6-1 win at West Georgia in April.

Koeneman carried the Eagles to a 28-26 record this season finishing the year among the nation's leaders in a number of categories. He finished the season among the nation's leaders in home runs (20), walks (51), on-base percentage (.548) and slugging percentage (.883).

"Kyle is very deserving of this honor," C-N head coach Tom Griffin said. "He handled some adversity in the beginning of the year, while waiting on the NCAA to grant him another year, with class and patience. He was a good teammate and role model for our younger players. We are hoping now he gets an opportunity to play professionally."

The 2012 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year was at his best late in games, hitting game-tying or game-winning home runs in the ninth inning four times. He hit game-winning home runs in wins against North Georgia, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Lander, among others.

Against Lander, Koeneman found out mid-game the NCAA had granted his fifth-year of eligibility, and came on to hit the game-winning home run in the top of the ninth, and pitched the bottom of the inning for the save. He appeared in only 12 games as a junior before suffering a season-ending wrist injury.

Koeneman led the Eagles in eight offensive categories (also doubles, runs, RBIs, and total bases) and tied for the team lead with three saves.

The senior finished the year with 18 multi-hit games and reached base at least twice in over 30 games. By then time the Eagles' season hit the homestretch, teams stopped pitching to Koeneman. He walked 23 times in C-N's final 12 games, including eight times in each of the Eagles' final two SAC series.

Koeneman is the first Eagle to be named All-American since Brett Hontz earned the honor as a pitcher following the 2008 season, and is the sixth All-American for the program at the NCAA level. He is the 23rd All-American in program history.

The Seymour, Tenn. native was named Carson-Newman's 2011-2012 Eagle Club Male Athlete of the Year last month.

-C-N-

Rawlings/ABCA Division II All-America Team
First Team
1B - Nate Minnich, Shepherd
2B - Joe Wendle, West Chester
3B - Bryan Lippincott, Concordia
SS - Blake Miller, Western Oregon
INF - Kyle Koeneman, Carson-Newman
OF - Eli Davis, Cal State Stanislaus
OF - Jeff Popick, Colorado Mesa
OF - James Roche, Franklin Pierce
OF - Zach Taylor, Armstrong Atlantic
C - Geno Escalante, Mount Olive
DH - Anthony Boza, Lynn
SP - Geoff Broussard, Cal Poly Pomona
SP - Donovan Drake, Indianapolis
SP - Tim Flight, Southern New Hampshire
SP - Carl O'Neal, St. Mary's (Texas)
RP - Stephen Johnson, St. Edward's

Second Team
1B - Zach Mathieu, Franklin Pierce
2B - Carlos Asuaje, Nova Southeastern
3B - Daniel Duran, Cal State Los Angeles
SS - Seth McMullen, Winona State
INF - Jonathan Finnegan, Arkansas Tech
OF - Casey Allison, Wingate
OF - Lee Neumann, Angelo State
OF - Areo Regoli, Nova Southeastern
OF - Jordan White, Kentucky Wesleyan
C - Jon Carnahan, Delta State
DH - Nicholas Sell, Seton Hill
SP - Joe Gunkel, West Chester
SP - John Healy, Saint Anselm
SP - Lee Stoppelman, Central Missouri
SP - Grady Wood, Western Oregon
RP - Brad Zambron, Grand Valley State

Third Team
1B - Bo Folkinga, Western Oregon
2B - Chase Lacomb, Colorado State-Pueblo
3B - John Calhoun, Washburn
SS - Grant DeBruin, Alabama-Huntsville
INF - Jarius Brown, Stillman
INF - Nate Van Roekel, Winona State
OF - Sean Collete, Alderson-Broaddus
OF - Alexi Colon, Tusculum
OF - Shane Latshaw, Mercyhurst
OF - Michael Vinson, Delta State
C - Jared Cowan, Grand Valley State
DH - Joe Vaskas, Emporia State
SP - Sean Bierman, Tampa
SP - Craig Goodman, Tusculum
SP - Derek Hansen, Augustana
SP - Ben Rawding, Mercyhurst
SP - Mark Sappington, Rockhurst
RP - Cameron Dullnig, Texas A&M-Kingsville
RP - Emilio Pagan, Belmont Abbey

ABCA Player of the Year: Nate Minnich, Shepherd
ABCA Position Player of the Year: Nate Minnich, Shepherd
ABCA Pitcher of the Year: Tim Flight, Southern New Hampshire