May 25, 2004

Birmingham, Ala. – South Carolina senior catcher Landon Powell and junior right-handed pitcher Chad Blackwell earned 2004 first team All-SEC honors as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. In addition, junior outfielder Brendan Winn earned second team All-SEC honors and freshman left-handed pitcher Arik Hempy and freshman infielder David Cash were named to the 2004 All-SEC Freshman Team.

This is the second consecutive year that Powell has earned first team All-SEC honors. Powell leads USC with a .356 batting average on the year including a SEC-high 19 HR and 62 RBI. Powell also leads the team with a .373 batting average in SEC games with 14 of his 19 HR this year coming vs. SEC opponents. Powell has started and played all 56 games this year and owns a .998 fielding percentage with just one error behind the plate. The senior from New Hill, N.C. has also been named a semifinalist for the Howser Award (top collegiate baseball player) and Bench Award (top catcher) as well as a member of the Golden Spikes Award Watch List (top amateur baseball player – USA Baseball). Powell is the 2004 University of South Carolina Male Student Athlete of the Year as well as the South Carolina State Male Amateur Athlete of the Year.

In his first season at South Carolina, junior reliever Chad Blackwell has hurled 46 2/3 innings of relief with a SEC-leading 12 saves on the year. Blackwell has 60 strikeouts and just 11 walks allowed and has made a team-high 27 appearances on the season.

Also in his first season at South Carolina, junior outfielder Brendan Winn has provided power in the Gamecock lineup with 18 HR and 60 RBI on the year to go along with 17 doubles and a .330 batting average. Winn has also played and started all 56 games for Carolina this year. Freshman left-handed pitcher Arik Hempy has compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.41 ERA in his first year with the Gamecocks. Hempy has 49 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched with 21 appearances for the Gamecocks, the second highest total just behind Blackwell. All three wins for Hempy came in SEC play including both wins in relief in a series victory vs. Florida and a complete game shutout in a 3-0 series-clinching win vs. Ole Miss.

Freshman infielder David Cash stepped in for the Gamecocks when the Gamecocks suffered setbacks to the middle infield with injuries to Kevin Melillo and Steven Tolleson. Cash is batting .217 with five RBI and seven runs scored.

FIRST TEAM B-T HT WT CLASS HOMETOWN
1B – C.J. Smith, Florida R-R 6-4 220 Jr. Tampa, Fla.
2B- Warner Jones, Vanderbilt R-R 5-10 160 So. Nashville, Tenn.
3B – Josh Smith, Georgia L-R 6-0 177 Jr. Athens, Ga.
SS – Ryan Klosterman, Vanderbilt R-R 5-11 175 Jr. Clermont, Fla.
C- Landon Powell, South Carolina S-R 6-4 231 Sr. New Hill, N.C.
OF – J.C. Holt, LSU L-R 5-10 170 Jr. Sieper, La.
OF – Jon Zeringue, LSU R-R 6-2 205 Jr. Thibodaux, La.
OF – Brad Corley, Mississippi State R-R 6-1 198 So. Louisville, Ky.
DH – Stephen Head, Ole Miss L-L 6-2 220 So. Raymond, Miss.
P – Justin Hoyman, Florida R-R 6-2 200 Jr. Cocoa, Fla.
P – Mark Holliman, Ole Miss R-R 6-1 187 So. Germantown, Tenn.
RP – Chad Blackwell, South Carolina R-R 6-1 162 Jr. Clewiston, Fla.
RP – Will Startup, Georgia L-L 6-1 185 So. Cartersville, Ga.

SECOND TEAM B-T HT WT CLASS HOMETOWN
1B – Josh Morris, Georgia R-R 6-5 228 Fr. Cartersville, Ga.
2B – Marshall Szabo, Georgia S-R 5-10 180 Jr. Alpharetta, Ga.
3B – Clay Harris, LSU R-R 6-4 225 Jr. Slidell, La.
SS – Justin Holmes, Georgia R-R 5-10 175 Sr. Oviedo, Fla.
SS – Scott Hode, Arkansas R-R 6-0 180 Jr. Crystal Lake, Ill.
C – Craig Tatum, Mississippi State R-R 6-0 221 So. Hattiesburg, Miss.
OF – Ryan Patterson, LSU R-R 5-11 200 Jr. Rowlett, Texas
OF – Brenden Winn, South Carolina R-R 6-0 205 Jr. Indian Harbour, Fla.
OF – Ben Harrison, Florida R-R 6-3 220 Sr. Key West, Fla.
OF – Seth Smith, Ole Miss L-L 6-3 215 Jr. Brandon, Miss.
DH – Alex Suarez, Tennessee R-R 6-0 190 Jr. Miami, Fla.
P – Wade LeBlanc, Alabama L-L 6-3 180 Fr. Lake Charles, La.
P – Jeremy Sowers, Vanderbilt L-L 6-1 175 Jr. Louisville, Ky.
RP – Steven Register, Auburn R-R 6-1 175 Jr. Columbus, Ga.

SEC CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – Jon Zeringue, LSU; Stephen Head, Ole Miss
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR – Justin Hoyman, Florida
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Wade LeBlanc, Alabama
SEC SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Brady Toops, Arkansas
SEC CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR – Dave Van Horn, Arkansas; David Perno, Georgia

FRESHMAN TEAM B-T HT WT CLASS HOMETOWN
1B – Josh Morris, Georgia R-R 6-5 228 Fr. Cartersville, Ga.
2B- Adam Davis, Florida S-R 5-9 180 Fr. Fort Myers, Fla.
3B – Chris Coghlan, Ole Miss L-R 6-1 197 Fr. Palm Harbor, Fla.
SS – David Cash, South Carolina R-R 6-2 185 Fr. Odessa, Fla.
C – Brian Jeroloman, Florida L-R 5-11 180 Fr. Wellington, Fla.
OF – Joey Side, Georgia R-R 6-1 180 Fr. Loganville, Ga.
OF – Alex Presley, Ole Miss L-R 5-11 180 Fr. Monroe, La.
OF – Jake Dugger, Arkansas L-L 5-10 190 Fr. Omaha, Neb.
DH – Danny Hamblin, Arkansas R-R 6-1 200 Fr. Rowlett, Texas
P – Wade LeBlanc, Alabama L-L 6-3 180 Fr. Lake Charles, La.
P – Clay Dirks, LSU L-L 6-4 230 Fr. Hernando, Miss.
RP – Alex Hempy, South Carolina L-L 6-3 215 Fr. Raleigh, N.C.