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ERIE, Pa. – Bluefield State baseball student-athlete Dale Davis was named to the 2013 Atlantic Region/District 2 Daktronics All-Atlantic Region First Team, it was announced Thursday afternoon. Davis adds this accolade to the list of his accomplishments exactly one week after he was named Team MVP at the Bluefield State Athletics Banquet last week.

Davis’ successful junior campaign led to his name being near the top of a couple of WVIAC offensive categories. He led the team and the conference in triples with six and is ranked 12^th in the nation in the category. He led the team with a .571 slugging percentage and finished the season 21^st in the WVIAC in that category. He also led the Big Blues in hitting with a .364 average.

The Nassau, Bahamas native also led the team in hits (51), doubles (11), RBI’s (25), on-base percentage (.419) and tied to lead the squad in runs scored (30). The junior college transfer finished second on the team in stolen bases (10) and tied for second on the team with two round-trippers.

In addition to his offensive prowess, Davis was the consummate utility player for Bluefield State, splitting time at shortstop, second base and in the left and right field.

Davis was one of five baseball student-athletes from the WVIAC to make the All-Atlantic First Team and will now be placed on the 2013 Division II All-America ballot for the chance to be voted as an All-American.

The All-Atlantic Region Player of the Year was California University of Pa.’s Kyle Petty and the Pitcher of the Year was Chris Murphy of Millersville.

The Daktronics All-Region team is nominated for and voted on by the sports information directors of baseball playing institutions in the region.

The 2013 Atlantic Region/District 2 Daktronics All-Region Baseball Team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The company also markets DakStats sports statistics software with programs for football, basketball and baseball. The 2013 All-America Baseball Team is selected by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA). The online nomination and voting processes are powered by Sidearm Sports. Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Sidearm Sports is the official provider of college athletic websites for over 600 sports organizations at all levels of competition.

BLUEFIELD, W. Va. – Bluefield State’s Shikhar Kapur has been named to the Capital One Academic All-District II men’s at-large first team released Thursday afternoon for the second consecutive year. As a result, he will now move to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration, he was named to the Academic All-America Third Team last year.

Kapur earned a spot on the academic all-district first team with a 3.75 cumulative grade point average. The Architectural Engineering Technology and Civil Engineering Technology double major adds this to a long list of accolades he’s earned this season and over his career. He was named BSC’s WVIAC Senior Scholar-Athlete this season to go along with being named Bluefield State’s Male Athlete of the Year. Kapur was named WVIAC Tennis Player of the Week twice this season and earned All-WVIAC honors for the fourth consecutive time in his career.

The New Dehli, India native posted an 8-4 singles record in dual play to earn a No. 12 regional ranking in singles play and 17-2 in doubles action including an unblemished 8-0 conference slate to earn a No. 6 doubles regional ranking. He concluded his career being named the ITA Atlantic Region Senior Player of the Year.

The 2013 Capital One Academic All-District II men’s at-large team was selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in District II which consist of institutions in the WVIAC, PSAC, CIAA and independent institutions Washington Adventist and Salem International. The at-large teams consist of all sports except football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, track and field, softball and cross country.

To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at the nominating institution at least two years with a 3.3 cumulative grade point average and a starter or significant reserve on his team.

BLUEFIELD, W. Va. – The Bluefield State College Athletics Department closed their 2012-13 athletic year by celebrating its student-athletes at its athletics awards banquet, Thursday night (May 9) in the Othello Harris-Jefferson Student Center.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the event along with the athletics department and handed out awards including SAAC Community Service Award and the Best Team Player Award. The athletics department named their male and female student-athlete of the year and coach of the year.

The event welcomed more than 90 guests including faculty & staff, BSC President Dr. Marsha Krotseng, alumni and student-athletes to celebrate the year. The event was emceed by SAAC member and senior baseball player Robert Haggerty.

The SAAC Community Service Award was given to the baseball, men’s and women’s basketball teams for their service in the community this year. The three programs were honored for their commitment to giving back to the community.

The SAAC Best Team Player Award was given to Bryan Tingle, former men’s basketball student-athlete. Tingle has been a staple for the BSC athletics department. After concluding his basketball eligibility in 2011, he served as a student assistant coach for the men’s team the past two seasons while also assisting the women’s volleyball team for the past two seasons and the softball team this year. Tingle also serves as a student assistant for Head Athletic Trainer Kerri Francis.

The BSC Male Athlete of the Year Award was awarded to senior men’s tennis student-athlete Shikhar Kapur. Kapur, has been a dominating force since he stepped on campus leading the tennis program to heights never achieved. He led the Big Blues to back-to-back WVIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships, back-to-back NCAA Atlantic Region One Championships and consecutive trips to the NCAA National Championships Round of 16.

During his time he has been named WVIAC Player of the Year twice, WVIAC Freshman of the Year and a four-time All-WVIAC honoree. He also won the Division II ITA Atlantic Region Singles Championship as a sophomore. Kapur was recently named the ITA Atlantic Region Senior Player of the Year.

The New Dehli, India native is equally impressive in the classroom, double-majoring in Architectural Engineering Technology and Civil Enginerring Technology. Kapur was named to CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team last year and was named BSC’s Male WVIAC Senior Scholar-Athlete this year. He also was named to the WVIAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll last year.  

The BSC Female Athlete of the Year Award was awarded to senior women’s basketball student-athlete Charlene Diggs. Diggs has been a stabling presence for the program, joining the Lady Blues as a freshman when it was at its lowest but stuck with it and has helped lead the resurrection of the program, finishing this season with the program’s best record in 16 seasons. She concluded her career as the program’s fourth all-time leading scorer, eighth all-time in steals and 10^th all-time in assists. The Beckley, W. Va. native earned All-WVIAC Honorable Mention honors as a junior and was named WVIAC Player of the Week last year for leading the Lady Blues to their first win in over a decade over University of Charleston.

Diggs, a criminal justice major also had a strong academic career. She was named BSC’s Women’s WVIAC Senior Scholar- Athlete and earned the team’s Academic Award last year.

The BSC Coach of the Year was awarded to J.J. Oliver, the head women’s basketball coach. Oliver was recognized by his peers for the exceptional job he did this season. The Lady Blues were picked to finish last in the WVIAC Coaches’ Preseason Poll but Oliver led his team to 10^th in the standings and a 13-13 overall record, 11-11 in the WVIAC, the program’s best finish in 16 seasons.

Along with the specialized awards, the athletics department gave out first-year, second-year, third-year and fourth-year participation awards to all student-athletes. Also a few teams handed out their own individual awards.

List of team awards given out at the banquet:

Baseball:

Offensive Player of the Year – Clay Ayers

Defensive Player of the Year – Sean Williams

Team MVP – Dale Davis

Heart & Hustle Award – Robert Haggerty

Rookie of the Year – Ridge Sibold

Men’s Basketball:

Offensive Player of the Year – Roy Cooper

Defensive Player of the Year – Sam Ouedraogo

Team MVP – Treon Claiborne

Women’s Basketball:

Academic Award – Tasia Nolan and Ashley Reid

Freshman of the Year – Ashley Reid

Most Improved Player of the Year – Shay Gravely

Offensive Player of the Year – Shae Mebane

Defensive Player of the Year – Tasia Nolan

Team MVP – Charity Harris

Coaches’ Award – Tasia Nolan

WHEELING, W. Va. – The Bluefield State golf team collectively had their best round of golf in the final day of the NCAA II Atlantic/East Regional but it was not enough to climb into the top three of the team standings to advance to the NCAA II National Championships as they finished seventh for the second consecutive year at the NCAA II Atlantic/East Regional. The Big Blues concluded the event with a 913 (322-299-292).

Indiana University of Pa. wrapped up the day shooting a tournament-low 288 to win the tournament with a 39-over par 891. Wilmington University (Del.) and California University of Pa. rounded out the top three teams to advance to the National Championships in Hershey, Pa.

Nick Dent led the Big Blues, shooting a one-over par 72 to finish the tournament with a 224 (+11) and tied for sixth place in the individual standings. 

Jeff McGraw had his best day of the three-day event, carding a 73 to finish with a 232 and tied for 39^th individually. Chandler Beavers finished one stroke back with a 233 and tied for 46^th place.

Tyler Browning and TJ Knight also had their best outings of the tournament on the final day. Browning shot a 72 to finish with a 235 while Knight posted a 75 for a final score of 238.

IUP’s Zack Kempa finished with a 214 (+1) for individual medalist honors. Robert Coyne of Millersville and Davis & Elkins’ Sebastian Bendsen finished second and tied for third respectively to advance to the National Championships as individuals.