Abe Naff collected 643 career wins in 23 seasons as Ferrum's baseball coach.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Info. Director
(540) 365-4306

July 2, 2007


Naff Named Virginia Small College Coach of the Year

FERRUM, Va. - The 2007 All-State Baseball Team was selected by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) recently and Ferrum College's Abe Naff has been named College Division Coach of the Year. 

2007 VaSID College Division All-State Baseball Team

This is the fifth VaSID Coach of the Year honor for Naff, who also earned the honor in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2003.  Naff earned USA South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards in 1989, 1992, 2003 and 2004 as well.

Naff led Ferrum to its 10th USA South title in 2007.  His team shared the regular season title, then won the USA South Tournament and hosted an NCAA Division III Baseball Regional on campus for the first time in May.  Ferrum advanced to the championship game before being eliminated in 12 innings by eventual national runner-up Emory University.  The retiring skipper closed out his 23-year career with a 643-236-3 coaching record.

Earning VaSID first team All-State laurels were senior third baseman Brett Thomas (Danville, Va./George Washington), and senior outfielder Brent Sowers (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry).

Thomas was the 2007 USA South Player of the Year and earned All-America honors from the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings and D3baseball.com.  He batted .387 with 10 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs and 66 RBI.  Thomas was successful on 27 of 30 stolen base attempts.

Sowers was a second team All-Conference selection and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team at the NCAA baseball regional Ferrum hosted in May.  He batted .419 this season with five doubles, three triples and 26 RBI.  Sowers was successful on 38 of 42 stolen base attempts.

Earning All-State second team honors were senior outfielder Matt Gammon (Blanch, N.C./Bartlett Yancey), junior catcher Nick Baker (Vinton, Va./William Byrd), and freshman pitcher Brian Bowles (Salem, Va./Glenvar).  Bowles was a first team All-Conference selection as a relief pitcher, while Gammon and Baker were second teamers.  For more information, please contact the Ferrum College Sports Information Office at (540) 365-4306.
 

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