ROCK HILL, S.C. - VMI second baseman Cory Spangenberg was named the Big South Conference's Freshman of the Year and was one of four Keydets to earn All-Conference accolades as the league announced its baseball honors Wednesday afternoon. 

Spangenberg (Clarks Summit, Pa.) also earned Second Team All-Conference honors, along with Alex Haitsuka (catcher) and Graham Sullivan (outfield).  Senior first baseman Jordan Ballard was VMI's lone First Team All-Conference honoree, marking the sixth straight season the Keydets have had an infielder named to the First Team.  Haitsuka was also named to the league's All-Academic Team, one of 10 such honorees from across the league.

Spangenberg becomes only the third Keydet to ever earn Freshman of the Year honors, joining Mike Lamore (1982) and Kelly Sweppenhiser (2003), who were so honored in the Southern Conference.  He earns the honor for a season during which he set new school records for hits (85), runs (61) and total bases (138) while ranking in the top five in the Big South in those three categories, along with slugging percentage and home runs.  He started every game this season for VMI, reaching base safely in 25 of 27 Big South contests.  His Second Team selection marks the third straight season that the Keydets have had an All-Conference player at second base, joining Shane Geisslinger (2008) and A.J. Yoder (2009).

Ballard (Troy, Va.) earned First Team All-Conference honors after leading the circuit with 18 home runs and ranking second in the league with a .635 slugging percentage.  VMI's career leader with 41 home runs, Ballard also ranks among the top 10 career sluggers in Big South history with that total.  In league play this season, Ballard accounted for 32 RBIs in 27 contests, hitting 10 home runs with 70 total bases.  He is VMI's first First Team selection at first base since Marshall Simpson did so in the SoCon in 1990.

Haitsuka's (Alexandria, Va.) Second Team selection comes after the junior hit a career-high .350 with seven doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBIs.  VMI's starter behind the plate for 44 contests in 2010, Haitsuka was also named to the Johnny Bench Award Watch List earlier this season, awarded to the nation's top catcher.  He becomes the first Keydet catcher to earn All-Conference accolades since VMI joined the Big South.

Sullivan (Manassas, Va.) has enjoyed a standout season for the Keydets in 2010, hitting .362 with 19 doubles, 10 home runs and 55 RBIs.  Another Keydet that started each contest this season, Sullivan ranked among the top 10 in the league in total bases, RBIs, slugging percentage, doubles and home runs.  He enjoyed a 27-game stretch during which he hit .424 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 43 RBIs, and had game-winning hits against High Point, Lafayette, UNC Asheville and JMU.  His selection marks the first time that VMI has had an All-Conference outfielder since Ryan Glynn earned First Team honors in the SoCon in 1995.

The Keydets' haul of four All-Conference players is the most since VMI joined the Big South, and the most VMI has had in a single season since claiming four honorees in the SoCon in 2000.  Spangenberg's Freshman of the Year honor is VMI's first major award winner since Sweppenhiser earned SoCon Freshman of the Year and Tom Slater earned SoCon Coach of the Year honors in 2003.

VMI returns to action Thursday morning, taking on fifth-seeded Winthrop at 11 a.m. in an elimination game at the 2010 Royal Purple Big South Conference Baseball Championship. 

2010 BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE BASEBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
SP       Anthony Meo, Soph., RHP, Coastal Carolina
SP       Cody Wheeler, Jr., LHP, Coastal Carolina
SP       Shawn Teufel, R-Sr., LHP, Liberty
RP       Matt Rein, Jr., LHP, Coastal Carolina
C         Jose Iglesias, Sr., Coastal Carolina
1B       Jordan Ballard, Sr., VMI
2B       Tommy La Stella, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
3B       Scott Woodward, Jr., Coastal Carolina
SS       Taylor Motter, Soph., Coastal Carolina
DH      Matt Hillsinger, Soph., Radford
OF       Nate Roberts, Jr., High Point
OF       Rico Noel, Jr., Coastal Carolina
OF       Matt Gantner, Sr., High Point
 
SECOND TEAM
SP       Tyler Thornburg, Jr., RHP, Charleston Southern
SP       Matteo D'Angelo, Jr., RHP, Winthrop
SP       Ryan Dull, Soph., RHP, UNC Asheville (tie)
SP       Jaime Schultz, Fr., RHP, High Point (tie)
RP       Ryan Connolly, Fr., RHP, Coastal Carolina
C         Nathan Thompson, R-Sr., Liberty (tie)
C         Alex Haitsuka, Jr., VMI (tie)
1B       Nick Chinners, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
2B       Cory Spangenberg, Fr., VMI
3B       Tyler Bream, Soph., Liberty
SS       Matt Williams, Soph., Liberty
DH      Eddie Rohan, Jr., Winthrop
OF       Curran Redal, Sr., Liberty
OF       Reggie Keen, Sr., Radford
OF       Graham Sullivan, Jr., VMI
 
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Charlie McCready, Soph., Charleston Southern
Austin Fleet, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
Aaron Miller, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Sal Pezzino, Soph., High Point
Nathan Thompson, R-Sr., Liberty
Nate Horton, Jr., Presbyterian  College
Jason Patten, Soph., Radford
Justin Schumer, Sr., UNC Asheville
Alex Haitsuka, Jr., VMI
Matt Thielepape, Sr., Winthrop
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nate Roberts, Jr., OF, High Point
 
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Anthony Meo, Soph., RHP, Coastal Carolina (unanimous)
 
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Cory Spangenberg, 2B, VMI
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina
 
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Austin Fleet, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina