By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Trent Whitehead was one of seven East Carolina Pirates named to the 2009 All-Conference USA Team. The sophomore, a former star with the Washington Pam Pack, received Second Team honors. It was the first conference honor for Whitehead.
While happy with how he’s played this season, Whitehead said he’ll only be happy if the Pirates can reach Omaha — site of the College World Series. Whitehead leads C-USA with 90 hits and is third in the league with his .377 batting average.
He also ranks among the conference leaders in several other categories: first in at-bats with 239, tied for first with 20 doubles, second with 69 runs, second in total plate appearances with 273, fifth in total bases with 132 and 10th in on-base percentage at .447.
Whitehead’s 69 runs are the fourth most in a single-season in ECU history, while his 90 hits ranks sixth best all-time. His 20 doubles are tied for fifth best in a single year.
“It’s a good feeling, but there’s a lot of season left,” Whitehead said. “I want to get 100 hits on the year, but I’m not really thinking about my individual stats. I’m doing whatever I can to help this team go as far as we can and achieve our goal of making the College World Series.”
Pirates’ fourth-year coach Billy Godwin received the Keith LeClair Coach of the Year award, named in honor of the former ECU skipper who courageously battled ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) before his passing in 2006.
Junior-transfer Chris Heston (7-0, 3.44 ERA), in his first year with the Pirates, earned Newcomer of the Year honors and he was also named to the C-USA First Team.
Other Pirates named to the C-USA First Team were second baseman Ryan Wood, outfielder Stephen Batts, designated hitter Kyle Roller and pitcher Seth Maness.
Whitehead was joined on the Second Team by pitcher Brad Mincey.
Kevin Brandt was named to the All-Freshman Team.
Whitehead and the Pirates are currently in Hattiesburg, Miss., for the C-USA Tournament. The sophomore, who has six home runs, 41 RBIs and nine stolen bases, helped lead the Pirates to the C-USA regular-season championship.
“This is an unbelievable experience,” Whitehead said about the title. “It’s a day I’ll never forget. I hope it happens every year now until I’m done with baseball.
I grew up with a lot of guys that come out to watch the games. I came out here and watched a lot of games when I was a little kid. I got to experience some of the success they had in the past and to actually be a part of it now is even better.”
Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon (.383, 17 HRs, 58 RBIs) was named the C-USA Player of the Year as well as the Freshman of the Year.
Todd McInnis (7-4, 2.78 ERA), a sophomore right-hander at Southern Miss, was named Pitcher of the Year.
2009 CONFERENCE USA BASEBALL AWARDS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Todd McInnis, RHP, Southern Miss
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Chris Heston, RHP, East Carolina
KEITH LeCLAIR COACH OF THE YEAR
Billy Godwin, East Carolina
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
IF Victor Gomez, So., Marshall
IF Sam Honeck, Sr., Tulane
IF Anthony Rendon, Fr., Rice
IF Ryan Wood, Sr., East Carolina
OF Stephen Batts, Sr., East Carolina
OF Bo Davis, Sr., Southern Miss
OF Brint Hardy, Sr., UAB
C Jeremy Schaffer, Fr., Tulane
DH/UT Kyle Roller, Jr., East Carolina
P Ryan Berry, Jr., Rice
P Chris Heston, Jr., East Carolina
P Seth Maness, So., East Carolina
P Todd McInnis, So., Southern Miss
RP Donnie Joseph, Jr., Houston
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
IF Shane Brown, Jr., UCF
IF Brian Dozier, Sr., Southern Miss
IF Rick Hague, So., Rice
IF Blake Kelso, So., Houston
IF Josh Prince, Jr., Tulane
OF Cody McMurry, Sr., UAB
OF Chad Mozingo, So., Rice
OF Brandon Romans, Sr., UCF
OF Trent Whitehead, So., East Carolina
C Chris Wallace, So., Houston
DH/UT Digger Towe, Jr., UAB
P Brad Mincey, So., East Carolina
P Mike Ojala, Jr., Rice
P Jared Ray, Jr., Houston
P Dan Straily, Sr., Marshall
RP Jordan Rogers, Sr., Rice
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Kevin Brandt, LHP, East Carolina
Michael Goodnight, RHP, Houston
Drew Martinez, OF, Memphis
Adam McClain, 2B, Memphis
Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice
Taylor Wall, LHP, Rice
Kameron Brunty, OF, Southern Miss
Jeremy Schaffer, C, Tulane
Jamal Austin, OF, UAB
D.J. Hicks, DH/UT, UCF
Beau Taylor, Fr., UCF