FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Information Director
(540) 365-4306
 
May 29, 2003
 
 
Four Panthers Named to All-State Baseball Team
Naff Tabbed Small College Coach of the Year
 
Ferrum, Va. -- Ferrum College baseball senior Jason Beale (Charlottesville, Va./Western Albemarle) and junior Thomas Meeks (Rocky Mount, Va./Franklin County) have been named to the 2003 VaSID College Division All-State baseball team, both as first team selections.  
 
Additionally, Ferrum head baseball coach Abe Naff has been named VaSID Small College Coach of the Year.  The awards are voted upon by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association.
 
       2003 VaSID College Division All-State Baseball Team
 
Beale and Meeks were both recently named to the All-America baseball second team, as voted upon by the American Baseball Coaches Association.   The pair earned All-South Region first team honors as well.  Beale, pictured above right, 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 left, 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.

Naff led Ferrum to a 29-6 record this season, winning the Dixie Conference regular season title.  The Panthers have won or shared three Dixie baseball titles in the past four years.  Naff's VaSID Coach of the Year award is his fourth overall, having won in 1990,1992,1996, and 2003.  Naff was this year's Dixie Coach of the Year as well, his third such award (also won in 1989 and 1992)

Senior third baseman Neil Zimmerman (Vinton, Va./William Byrd) and senior second baseman Mickey Russell (Forest, Va./Jefferson Forest) joined Beale and Meeks on the All-State as honorable mentions.  Zimmerman batted .360 with eight doubles, one home run, and 26 RBI.  Russell batted .311 with nine doubles, two triples, two homers, and 14 RBI.  Zimmerman made the All-Conference second team, while Russell was a first team selection.  For more information, please contact the sports information office at (540) 365-4306.
 
 
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