From L to R: McCarthy, Hackimer and Jenkins
Three BIG EAST Players Named ABCA All-Region
GREENSBORO, N.C. – On Wednesday, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced their 2016 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-Region teams in all eight regions. Three BIG EAST players from two schools, St. John’s and Seton Hall were selected, voted on by members of the ABCA and the Division I All-America Committee.
St. John’s reliever and 2016 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Thomas Hackimer was named to the ABCA/Rawlings Northeast All-Region First Team. Seton Hall had two players named to the ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region Second Team with senior outfielder Derek Jenkins and sophomore starting pitcher Shane McCarthy.
ABCA/Rawlings All-Region first-team selections are nominated for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans will be announced on Saturday, June 18 and the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team will be announced on Sunday, June 19.
A third team Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American and a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American this past season, Hackimer also became the first reliever to earn BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year honors since 2005 and earned unanimous first team All-BIG EAST honors. Hackimer went 7-3 with eight saves and a 1.17 ERA in 28 appearances as a senior. The reliever totaled 71 strikeouts in 53.2 innings of work and allowed just a .133 opponent batting average. In 26 regular season appearances, Hackimer posted a 7-1 record with eight saves and a 0.72 ERA in 49.2 innings of work. The righty added 67 strikeouts and held the opposition to just a .094 batting average. Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the fourth round (123rd overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft, Hackimer was also a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.
The speedy Jenkins led the nation with 52 stolen bases and was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the second time in his career. A starter in center field for 55 games this season, he ranked second in the BIG EAST Conference with 70 hits and third with 42 runs scored. Proving his metal as a run producer as well, he ranked sixth in the conference with 35 runs batted in. Jenkins was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on March 28 after strong week, which included a game against Saint Peter’s when he went 3-for-4 with six stolen bases. He also had three hits and five stolen bases in a game vs. Monmouth earlier in the year.
Last weekend, Jenkins was selected in 26th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
A First Team All-BIG EAST selection, McCarthy finished the 2016 season with nine straight quality starts. The right-hander was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week three times, and to the Weekly Honor Roll once. The highlight of his collegiate career to date came on April 15 vs. LIU-Brooklyn. McCarthy tossed the first perfect game in both Seton Hall and BIG EAST Conference history, sending down all 27 Blackbirds in order, striking out eight, and needing only 88 pitches to do it. He finished the season as the BIG EAST leader in earned run average, innings pitched and strikeouts. Proving the BIG EAST coaches correct, McCarthy was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team in December.
The ABCA All-America committee is chaired by Dean Ehehalt of Monmouth University and also includes head coaches Mike Stone (Massachusetts), Brian O'Connor (Virginia), Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt), Steve Jaksa (Central Michigan), Dan Heefner (Dallas Baptist), Tommy Raffo (Arkansas State) and George Horton (Oregon).
The ABCA All-America team was first recognized in 1949 and now includes nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and high school. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007.
The ABCA, founded in 1945, is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 8,200 members represent all 50 states and 23 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include eight divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School and Youth. The 73rd annual ABCA Convention will be held Jan. 5-8, 2017 in Anaheim, California.
2016 BIG EAST ABCA All-Region Honorees
Thomas Hackimer, St. John’s, Sr., RP (Northeast Region First Team)
Derek Jenkins, Seton Hall, Sr., OF (East Region Second Team)
Shane McCarthy, Seton Hall, So., SP (East Region Second Team)