BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Florida sophomore first baseman Matt LaPorta was selected 2005 SEC Baseball Player of the Year, Tennessee’s junior righthander Luke Hochevar was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and Tennessee catcher J.P. Arencibia was named SEC Freshman of the Year by a vote of the league’s 12 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed Florida skipper Pat McMahon as SEC Coach of the Year. LSU pitcher Jason Determann was named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
LaPorta and Hochevar lead a list of players named to the first and second-team All-SEC squads for this season. LaPorta led the SEC with 23 homeruns, while finishing second with 67 RBIs and a slugging percentage of .742. Hochevar collected a SEC-high 13 wins on the year, as well as leading the SEC in innings pitched (111.2) and strikeouts (123), while carrying a 1.93 ERA.
McMahon led the Gators to a 20-10 record in conference play and the outright SEC regular season title. Florida last won the SEC in 1998. As a freshman, Arencibia collected 78 hits while helping the Volunteers to a 18-11 conference mark. Determann had seven saves on the year, including a win and a save in last weekend’s division-clinching series at Mississippi State, where Determann was named SEC Pitcher of the Week for his efforts.
Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of the 12 first-team votes. The complete 2005 All-SEC Team follows:
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Matt LaPorta, Florida
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - *Luke Hochevar, Tennessee
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - J.P. Arencibia, Tennessee
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Jason Determann, LSU
SEC COACH OF THE YEAR - Pat McMahon, Florida
* unanimous selection
FIRST TEAM
1B - Matt LaPorta, Florida
2B - Adam Davis, Florida
3B - Chase Headley, Tennessee
SS - Steven Tollesen, South Carolina
C- Josh Bell, Auburn
OF - Ryan Patterson, LSU
OF - Brian Pettway, Ole Miss
OF - Eli Iorg, Tennessee
OF - Gabe Scott, Alabama
DH - Stephen Head, Ole Miss
P - Luke Hochevar, Tennessee
P - Greg Smith, LSU
RP - John Madden, Auburn
SECOND TEAM
1B - Steve Pearce, South Carolina
2B - John Shelby, Kentucky
3B - Chris Coghlan, Ole Miss
SS - Justin Tordi, Florida
C - Brian Jeroloman, Florida
OF - Jeff Corsaletti, Florida
OF - Clete Thomas, Auburn
OF - Nick Stavinoha, LSU
DH - Blake Gill, LSU
P - Clay Dirks, LSU
P - Jensen Lewis, Vanderbilt
RP - Connor Falkenbach, Florida
ALL FRESHMAN TEAM
1B - Justin Henry, Ole Miss
2B - Ryan Wilkes, Kentucky
2B - Cale Iorg, Alabama
3B - Brandon McArthur, Florida
3B - Chris Jackson, LSU
SS - Zack Cozart, Ole Miss
C - J.P. Arencibia, Tennessee
OF - Julio Borbon, Tennessee
OF - Antone DeJesus, Kentucky
OF - Clint Arnold, Arkansas
DH - Jordan Mayer, LSU
DH - Joshua Fields, Georgia
P - James Adkins, Tennessee
P - Nick Schmidt, Arkansas
RP - David Robertson, Alabama
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