May 19, 2009
HOOVER, Ala. — Kentucky sophomore second baseman Chris Bisson and sophomore shortstop Chris Wade have been selected to the 2009 All-Southeastern Conference coaches’ second-team, the conference office announced Tuesday morning.
The Kentucky middle infield duo served as the backbone of the team throughout the year, leading UK offensively and in the field. Bisson, a native of Orleans, Ontario, has led UK in average (.360), games played (53), runs (49), hits (80), triples (3), RBI (52), walks (20), while stealing 13-of-15 bases. The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder, hit .365 (46-for-126) in SEC play, ranking second in the league with 46 hits. Bisson drive in 27 RBI and had a league-leading three triples. Bisson, who totaled a team-high 15 game hitting streak earlier in the year, has led the club with 25 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI games. Defensively, Bisson fielded .953 with 133 assists, turning a team-best 24 double plays. Bisson’s offensive production came a year after hitting .157 (8-for-51) in 27 games as a true freshman, seeing 13 starts primarily in place of injured starting third baseman Chris McClendon in 2008.
Wade, a 2008 freshman All-America selection, has posted a .313 average (49-for-157), with 10 doubles, one triple and six homers, driving in 42 RBI. Wade, a native of Lexington, Ky., has drawn 17 walks and struck out 23 times, stealing a team-best 14-of-17 bases. In SEC play, Wade batted .272 (25-for-92) with three doubles and three homers, driving in 14 RBI and drawing 11 walks to just 12 strikeouts. A defensive wizard at shortstop, Wade fielded .962 with 130 assists and 73 putouts, turning 21 doubles plays. After starting the first 106 games of his Kentucky career, Wade had to miss a week (4 games) due to injury, snapping his consecutive starting streak. In his two year career, a span of 113 games – all started – Wade has batted .304 (123-for-405) with 34 doubles, 11 homers, 93 RBI, stealing 20-of-25 bases.
Last season, UK placed a league-high four members on the first-team, with first-team All-Americans Sawyer Carroll and Collin Cowgill in the first-team All-SEC outfield, Ryan Wilkes named first-team second baseman and southpaw Chris Rusin tabbed a first team starting pitcher.
2009 SEC Awards
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR – *Kent Matthes, Alabama
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR – *Louis Coleman, LSU
SEC CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR – Preston Tucker, Florida; Matty Ott, LSU
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Ben Jones, Auburn
SEC COACH OF THE YEAR – Paul Mainieri, LSU
* unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
1B – Rich Poythress, Georgia
2B – Ross Wilson, Alabama; Josh Adams, Florida
3B – Jake Smith, Alabama
SS – Josh Rutledge, Alabama; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt
C – Blake Forsythe, Tennessee
OF – *Kent Matthes, Alabama
OF – Avery Barnes, Florida
OF – Jordan Henry, Ole Miss
DH – Blake Dean, LSU
P – *Louis Coleman, LSU
P – Austin Hyatt, Alabama
RP – Matty Ott, LSU
SECOND TEAM
1B – Nick Ebert, South Carolina
2B – Chris Bisson, Kentucky
3B – Joseph Sanders, Auburn
SS – Chris Wade, Kentucky; Bobby Haney, South Carolina
C – Justin Dalles, South Carolina
OF – Steven Liddle, Vanderbilt
OF – DeAngelo Mack, South Carolina
OF – Ryan Schimpf, LSU
DH – Bryce Massanari, Georgia
P – Scott Bittle, Ole Miss
P – Anthony Ranaudo, LSU; Drew Pomeranz, Ole Miss
RP – Billy Bullock, Florida
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM
1B – *Preston Tucker, Florida
2B – Riley Reynolds, Vanderbilt
3B – Colby May, Georgia
SS – Zach Osborne, Tennessee
OF – Taylor Dugas, Alabama
OF – Mikie Mahtook, LSU
OF – Jackie Bradley, Jr., South Carolina
DH – Aaron Westlake, Vanderbilt
P – Nick Routt, Mississippi State
P – Nolan Belcher, South Carolina
RP – *Matty Ott, LSU
ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM
P – Trevor Holder, Georgia
1B – Rich Poythress, Georgia
2B – Ross Wilson, Alabama
SS – Bobby Haney, SC; Brian Harris, Vanderbilt
3B – Jake Smith, Alabama
C – Micah Gibbs, LSU
OF – Matt den Dekker, Florida
OF – Whit Merrifield, South Carolina
OF – Trent Mummey, Auburn
