FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Information Director
(540) 365-4306
 
May 23, 2003
 
 
Beale, Meeks Named All-America in Baseball
Both Players Earn Second-Team Honors
 
Ferrum, Va. -- Ferrum College's baseball team continues to earn individual honors for the 2003 season.  Senior Jason Beale (Charlottesville, Va./Western Albemarle) and junior Thomas Meeks (Rocky Mount, Va./Franklin County) have been named to the 2003 ABCA/Rawlings All-America Baseball Team, both as second team selections.
 
The All-America baseball team is voted upon by the American Baseball Coaches Association.  The complete All-America team can be seen at the link below.

     2003 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-America Baseball Team
     American Baseball Coaches Association
 
Beale and Meeks both recently earned All-South Region first team honors, making them eligible for the All-America ballot.  Beale and Meeks are the 19th and 20th players to earn All-America baseball honors for Ferrum since 1998, when Jim Sood was named to the first team.  The Panthers most recent baseball All-American was Doug Heagen, who made the first team last year.  Heagen is currently working in Boston Red Sox minor league system.
 
Beale, pictured above left, batted .430 with nine doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBI this season.  He also went 9-2 on the mound this season with 77 strikeouts and a 2.59 ERA, earning Dixie Conference Pitcher of the Year honors.  Beale was a first team Dixie All-Conference selection as both pitcher and designated hitter this season.

Meeks, above right, batted .410 with six doubles, a triple, 12 homers, and 46 RBI.  He was 7-0 on the mound, with 59 strikeouts and a 3.92 ERA.  Meeks earned first team All-Conference at first base this season, and was named to the Dixie All-Tournament team.
 
Ferrum finished 29-6 this season, winning the Dixie Conference regular season title.  The Panthers have compiled a 60-14 record the past two seasons.  Beale and Meeks join senior women's basketball player Tina McBride (Glade Hill, Va./Franklin County) and sophomore football player Darren Venable (Covington, Va./Covington) as All-Americans at Ferrum this season.  For more information, please contact the sports information office at (540) 365-4306.
 
 
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