LEXINGTON, Ky. — After one of the more prolific individual offensive seasons in the 103-year history of the Kentucky Baseball program, senior catcher Sean Coughlin has been named second-team All-South Region, the American Baseball Coaches Association announced.
Coughlin, a native of Morrison, Colo., paced the Wildcat lineup throughout the season, leading the club in home runs and RBI. Coughlin delivered 73 RBI during the 2007 season, good for second place all-time in school history, just four RBI behind Ryan Strieby?s record of 77. Despite not playing post-season baseball, Coughlin?s RBI total currently checks in at eighth nationally.
Last season, Coughlin earned All-America honors while blasting 17 home runs and 55 RBI during the school?s first Southeastern Conference Championship season. Coughlin, who began the season as a first team preseason All-American, picked up where he left off in 2006, finishing the season with 13 home runs and a .344 batting average. Coughlin started all 54 Wildcat games, seeing most of his time behind the plate, but also seeing time as the designated hitter. Coughlin committed only four errors on the year, good for a .985 fielding percentage, while throwing out six would-be base stealers. The backstop also ripped 16 doubles and three triples, good for a .620 slugging percentage.
In 2006, Kentucky garnered multiple post-season honors, with Strieby, Coughlin, and right-hander Greg Dombrowski all earning All-South Region honors. Last year, Coughlin was also tabbed to the All-SEC second team, one of three Wildcats to earn the All-SEC team honor.
Coughlin was one of 19 SEC players to grace the All-South Region first and second teams, which is comprised of school?s throughout the southeast. David Price (Vanderbilt), Nick Schmidt (Arkansas), Casey Weathers (Vanderbilt), Edward Easley (Mississippi State), Matt LaPorta (Florida), Travis Jones (South Carolina), Ryan Flaherty (Vanderbilt), Pedro Alvarez (Vanderbilt), Phil Disher (South Carolina), Dominic de la Osa (Vanderbilt), and Emeel Salem (Alabama) round of the SEC players named to the first team.
Andrew Albers Named to the SEC Community Service Team
Kentucky junior southpaw Andrew Albers has been named to the SEC Community Service team, the league announced.
Albers, a native of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, has established himself as a productive member of the area community, becoming involved in several off-the field activities. Albers has spent time visiting area elementary schools and participating in the Special Olympics in Lexington. Albers has spent extensive time mentoring and talking to area children, in addition to taking part in an area coaches clinic with hundreds of area youth baseball coaches. As the valedictorian of his high school class, Albers was a four-year member of his high school student government. Earlier in May, Albers, who checks in with a 3.74 GPA, was named to the CoSida Academic All-District team, recognizing his strong work in the classroom. The lefty also serves as a leader to a young, promising UK pitching staff, spending large amounts of time working with the newcomers on the Wildcat staff.
Albers functioned as a weekend starter throughout the season for the Wildcat club, racking up a staff best six wins and a 4.85 ERA. Albers tossed 72 1/3 innings in 2007, striking out 51.
2007 Final Season Notes
Team Notes
Kentucky posted just its 11th 13 or more SEC win season, including its first back-to-back 13 or more win SEC season since 1987-88.
UK?s 34-win season marks Kentucky?s first back-to-back 30-win season for the first time since 1993-94.
Set the record for the longest winning streak (19) in school history.
UK?s 19-0 start set the school record for the best start in the 103-year history of the UK baseball program.
Kentucky?s 27-0 win over UT Martin was the largest margin of victory in school history.
Kentucky has won 78 games in its last two seasons, tied for the most wins in a two-year period in school history. The 1987-88 club?s also won 78 games.
UK finished one point shy of the season team record for the highest batting average in a season. UK posted a .320 team average, the second best in school history and its best since 1988.
Kentucky set the school record for triples in a season with 22.
For the fourth consecutive season, UK set the school record for hit by pitches with 93.
UK set the school record for sacrifice flies in a season (35) and was one sacrifice hit shy of the season record for sacrifices (66).
Individual Notes
Sean Coughlin?s 73 RBI rank as the second most in school annals, four behind Ryan Strieby?s record of 77.
Brian Spear set the school single-season record by drawing 53 walks, five more then the previous record holder.
Spear?s .527 on-base percentage ranks as the second best in school history.
Sawyer Carroll reached on 23 doubles, placing him tied with Ryan Strieby for the fifth most in school history.
Ryan Wilkes set the career (29) and single season (13) sacrifice records.
Mike Brown ranks second in the season sacrifice record books, with 12.
Brown?s 68 runs scored ranks tied for fifth in school season history.
Antone DeJesus ranks second on the career sacrifice list, with 24 sacrifice bunts.
Aaron Lovett?s seven saves rank as the second most saves in a season in school history.
Kentucky won four SEC weekly honors in 2006, highlighted by Sean Coughlin?s Player of the Week honor, Chris Rusin?s Pitcher of the Week honor, and Brock Wright?s Freshman of the Week award. UK has now won 11 weekly SEC honors in the last two years.
