Harding's Cooper Newsom Named GAC Freshman of the Year; Nine Bisons Honored

Searcy, AR - The Great American Conference announced its 2023 All-GAC Baseball Team on Wednesday, and Harding had a strong showing. Cooper Newsom was named the GAC Freshman of the Year, two players received Second Team All-GAC, four received honorable mention and two landed on the All-Defensive Team.

Southern Nazarene's DJ Van Atten was named the GAC Player of the Year, and Arkansas-Monticello's Mason Philley was named the GAC Pitcher of the Year. Mikel Howell of Southern Arkansas was named the GAC Newcomer of the Year, while Justin Pettigrew of Southern Arkansas was named the GAC Coach of the Year.

Newsom, a native of Smyrna, Tennessee, is Harding's second GAC Freshman of the Year and first since Blake Coward in 2016. He hit .305 with 29 runs and 25 RBIs and set a Harding single-season record with 25 doubles.

Starting pitcher Maddox Long (Morrilton, Arkansas) and outfielder Coulton Doyle (Columbia, Missouri) were Harding's Second Team honorees. Long went 7-4 with a 4.86 ERA and led Harding with 90 strikeouts in 83.1 innings. Doyle hit .345 with 12 home runs and led the team with 52 RBIs, 36 walks, a .472 on-base percentage and a .602 slugging percentage.

Starting pitcher Will Roguske (Regal, Minnesota), relief pitcher Andrew Bradshaw (Heber Springs, Arkansas), catcher Sebastian Martinez (Orlando, Florida) and utility player Collin Helms (Lawrenceville, Georgia) were Bisons receiving honorable mention.

Roguske was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA and struck out 52 in 64.2 innings. Bradshaw was 3-1 with a 5.16 ERA and led the team with four saves. Martinez hit .328 with 18 doubles, and Helms led the team with a .366 batting average.

Harding placed two on the All-Defensive Team with freshman Logan Lacey (North Richland Hills, Texas) and Cody Smith (Fayetteville, Arkansas) earning spots. Lacey posted a .983 fielding percentage at third base with only two errors in 116 chances. Smith made 109 putouts in center field and had a .982 fielding percentage.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Andrew Bradshaw: P; 6' 1"; Senior; R/R

#9 Coulton Doyle: IF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#10 Logan Lacey: UT; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#40 Maddox Long: P; 6' 5"; Junior; R/R

#7 Cody Smith: OF; 5' 10"; Fifth Year; R/R

#30 Collin Helms: C; 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R

#15 Cooper Newsom: IF; 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R

#20 Sebastian Martinez: C; 6' 1"; Sophomore; L/R

#34 Will Roguske: P; 6' 2"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#23 Andrew Bradshaw
: 6' 1"; Senior; R/R
: P

#9 Coulton Doyle
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: IF

#10 Logan Lacey
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: UT

#40 Maddox Long
: 6' 5"; Junior; R/R
: P

#7 Cody Smith
: 5' 10"; Fifth Year; R/R
: OF

#30 Collin Helms
: 6' 0"; Freshman; L/R
: C

#15 Cooper Newsom
: 6' 2"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#20 Sebastian Martinez
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; L/R
: C

#34 Will Roguske
: 6' 2"; Junior; R/R
: P