University of Kentucky center fielder Austin Cousino was named Southeastern Conference baseball Freshman of the Year, and the Wildcats’ Gary Henderson was honored as the league’s Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Cousino, catcher Luke Maile and pitcher Corey Littrell were named to the All-SEC second team, and first baseman A.J. Reed was selected to the All-Freshman team along with Cousino. Cousino also made the All-Defensive Team. Voting was conducted by the league’s coaches.

Scream. Complain. Call your congressman.

Finished? Good. Because the only thing Kentucky can do is embarrass the NCAA committee with its performance. It is a winnable regional packed with cold-weather programs — Purdue, Kent State and Valparaiso. The Wildcats are positioned to advance to the super regional at the University of Oregon. Go do it.

Obviously, Kentucky coach Gary Henderson and his Wildcats need to have a much better attitude about all of this than I do as they prepare to tackle a field that includes the above-mentioned Purdue (44-12), along with Kent State (41-17) and Valparaiso (35-23).

“You’re disappointed in a lot of things in athletics,” Henderson said this week. “I fumbled against Marshfield High School in October of ’78, cost us a touchdown. I’m disappointed about that, but you move on and that’s all you can do.

The NCAA released the identities of the 16 regional hosts on Sunday without UK’s name on the list despite a 43-16 record and 20-13 record against Southeastern Conference opponents. On Monday, the Wildcats learned they would be the No. 2 seed in the Gary, Ind., regional and will face Kent State in the first round. Purdue is the No. 1 seed in the regional but is hosting in Gary due to ongoing renovations to their home stadium. Valparaiso is the No. 4 seed in the regional.

 

“I know the people that are in baseball that actually play the game are pretty dumbfounded,” Maile said. “Obviously those aren’t the people that make the decisions.”

Quigley ended the best season in UK history at 54-8. He joined Jesse Witten (2002) and Carlos Drada (2000) as the only Cats ever to play in an NCAA singles finals. No UK player has ever won the title.

“I don’t even know where to begin, it has been the best four years of my life,” Quigley said upon completing his career at Kentucky. “I never dreamed of accomplishing half the things that I was able to accomplish here. I really owe a lot to (coaches) Cedric Kauffmann and Dennis Emery for all they have done for me. I don’t really have words to describe the last four years. It’s been a dream.”

Anthony Davis has no doubt that Nerlens Noel can replace him in Kentucky’s lineup and have a major impact on the Wildcats in 2012-13.

But he sees a void on the team that will be a question mark heading into the summer and preseason practice in the fall: Who will replace Doron Lamb on the perimeter?

National champion Kentucky lost most of its talent from a season ago. One guy back to keep an eye on is Kyle Wiltjer. He showed glimpses during limited playing time and John Calipari will call on him to be a difference-maker in the season ahead. He can go inside or step out and shoot the jumper.

Parade Magazine released its 2012 All-America Team on Sunday, and many familiar faces are on the list with the top two players in the class of 2012 leading the way.

Kentucky signee Nerlens Noel and UCLA signee Shabazz Muhammad are both on the list, as are forward Kyle Anderson (UCLA) , guard Gary Harris (Michigan State) and center Kaleb Tarczewski (Arizona).

In all the list has forty players, with Arizona, Kentucky and UCLA leading the way with three commits each.

On Wednesday, a national faculty group called the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics issued a denunciation of Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari for being a leading agent in the professionalizing of college athletics.

Cal’s sin? Not the mass use of one-and-done players. Not his $4 million-plus salary. Not even his two vacated Final Fours.

Nope, what had a group that is comprised of faculty senate members from FBS schools agitated was Calipari’s having come out in favor of playing some non-conference games at neutral sites.

To which one response seems appropriate: Oh, c’mon.

When center Nazr Mohammed played for the San Antonio Spurs in 2005-06, he came in to do extra work on off days and often found himself casually chatting with the team’s director of player personnel at the time.

 

A 29-year-old kid named Sam Presti.

It’s no coincidence both men are now with the Thunder.

And with the 11th pick in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, the Seahawks selected …

A safety? Really? A team that already has the Pro Bowl tandem of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor – the third-year tandem of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor – selected a safety?

Well, it wasn’t just any safety. It was a safety – Winston Guy from Kentucky – that the coaches feel can step in and be the third safety in the big nickel package that has served the defense and the team so well in its first two seasons under coach Pete Carroll.

A couple of great Canadian family volleyball traditions are also being continued on the team with Rebecca Pavan, sister of Sarah Pavan being chosen for the squad, and Taylor Pischke, the daughter of Garth Pischke the legendary head coach of the University of Manitoba Bisons. Taylor’s brother Dane was also chosen for the men’s national B team earlier this month. Thirdly, Alicia Perrin was selected, brother of men’s A team squad member Gord Perrin, both of Creston, BC.

It’s not every day Packers punter Tim Masthay visits a school.

However, 15 5th and 6th graders at Little Chute Middle/Intermediate School got to personally meet Masthay Tuesday.

But it didn’t come without effort.

Masthay met with the students – some of the highest minute-getters in the “Fuel Up To Play 60” contest – before an assembly for 400 of their classmates.