VBL All-Americans

By: Renoula Jones, Media Relations Intern

With the Valley Baseball League setting its 2010 season underway this past week, we want to recognize those VBL Alumni who, in this past year, have earned All-American status in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III. Three of the nine were named Louisville Slugger First Team All-Americans for Division I: Alex Wimmers, a right handed pitcher from Ohio State, third basemen Garrett Wittels from Florida International and George Mason shortstop Ryan Soares.  Two placed on the Second Team: A.J. Kirby-Jones, Tennessee Tech and Chris Duffy from Central Florida.  Another placed Third Team: Southern Mississippi’s right-handed pitcher Scott Copeland.

For Division II Baseball, infielder Donovan Huffer from Concord makes Third Team ABCA All-American.  And for Division III, Shenandoah University’s Greg Van Sickler as utility and centerfielder Kevin Brashears conclude our VBL Alum by making First Team under two separate publications: D3baseball.com and the ABCA honorees.

Alex Wimmers, a former Luray Wrangler, has set some records as a Buckeye, as he is the only Big Ten player to be named League Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons. He is also the second Buckeye to make First Team All-American in two consecutive seasons and has 273 career strikeouts.

Garrett Wittels, another Wranglers Alum, currently holds the second longest hitting streak in NCAA history with 56-games closely trailing Robin Ventura from Oklahoma State and his 58-game hitting streak in 1987. Wittels is the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Ryan Soares, a contributor to the Haymarket Senators Lineweaver Cup conquest last season, matched Wittels with Player of the Year honors in the Colonial Athletic Conference. In his 2010 season he hit .438 with 29 doubles, 13 homeruns, 13 sacrifice flies and 71 RBIs for the Patriots. Soares led the nation in doubles per game and sacrifice flies.

Once a Waynesboro General, A.J. Kirby-Jones has started the last 114 games at Tennessee Tech, including all 56 contests this spring.  He led his conference with 58 walks and was second with 71 RBIs and an on base percentage of .531.

Chris Duffy, a former Staunton Brave, is a semifinalist for the NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy and the USA Baseball Golden Spikes award. In his last at bat at UCF he hit a grand slam which also tied the programs career homerun record with 43.

Another former Staunton Brave, Scott Copeland, went undefeated this year with an 11-0 record and 64 strikeouts.

Donovan Huffer, rounding out the Staunton Braves, earned First Team honors from the All-WVIAC and ABCA All-Atlantic Region teams and won Gold Glove honors. He was named Second Team NCBWA All-Atlantic Region.

Greg Van Sickler, a returning player for the Front Royal Cardinals, was an ABCA All-American in 2009 as well as grabbing 2010 ABCA South Region Player of the Year accolades and the 2010 USA South Conference Pitcher of the Year award. Van Sickler, entering his senior year at Shenandoah, is the first student at SU to be awarded an Academic All-American as well as an ABCA All-American in the same season.  The Hornet hit .411 with a school record 27 doubles.

Kevin Brashears, also a Front Royals returner and a fellow teammate of Van Sickler at Shenandoah, led the Hornets with a .429 batting average and a school record of 87 hits.  A centerfielder, he was named first team All-South Region and Gold Glove Team by the ABCA. Both Brashears and Van Sickler helped their team climb to No. 6 ranking in one poll, seventh in the other, as well as leading their team to the 2010 NCAA Division III World Series.