WINGATE, N.C. --- Three Tusculum University student-athletes have been named to the 2021 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Team.
Daulton Martin and Brandon Trammell were named to the All-Region first team, while Bryson Ford garnered second team recognition.
Martin, a graduate student from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, earns a spot on the NCBWA All-Region first team for a third time in his decorated career. The three-time All-South Atlantic Conference selection has a .336 batting average this year with 51 hits including a league-best four triples (29th in NCAA II). His 12 home runs this year are third in the conference, while his 48 RBI and 53 runs scored are both third-best in the SAC. He has been hit by a pitch 20 times (1st in SAC / 3rd in NCAA II) in 2021 which are a new TU single-season record. He is 12-of-13 in stolen bases and leads the team with 93 fielding assists.
In 2021, he has posted 16 multi-hit games including a 4-for-4 performance where he tied a TU single-game record with nine RBI including two home runs with one of them being a grand slam in game one of a doubleheader against Limestone. He followed in the second game with three hits, including two more homers and five RBI. He was tabbed the NCBWA Region Player of the Week as well as SAC Player of the Week and TSWA College Player of the Week.
The two-time All-America second baseman leaves TU as the program's all-time leader in hits (293), runs scored (236), at-bats (793), doubles (66), runs batted in (193), total bases (480), walks (150) and hit-by-pitch. He is also second in school history in triples (17), on-base percentage (.496), assists (489) and tied for third in stolen bases (49). Last year, Martin was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team.
Trammell, a senior from Knoxville, Tennessee, led the Pioneers with his .387 batting average and a SAC-best 61 RBI (6th in NCAA II). The University of Tennessee transfer pounded out 58 hits (3rd in SAC) including a team-best 13 home runs (2nd in SAC / 40th in NCAA II). The 2021 All-SAC first team choice recorded 21 multi-hit games with nine doubles, two triples while going 11-of-15 in stolen bases. His .733 slugging percentage is best on the team (5th in SAC), while his .473 on-base percentage is seventh in the conference. He has posted five outfield assists this year.
Ford, a graduate student from Knoxville, is a two-time All-Conference selection including 2021 where he was named as the All-SAC second team shortstop. Ford is batting .338 and closed out season strong having reached base safely in his last 25 outings. He has scored 60 runs which are the second-most in NCAA II this year. Of his 50 hits in 2021, he has 14 doubles, two triples and six home runs while tallying 45 RBI. He leads the SAC with 23 stolen bases in 27 attempts.
In his 157-game career, Ford has totaled 168 hits with 34 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs and 129 RBI. He is TU's all-time leader with 60 career stolen bases and is listed in the school record book where he is third all-time in runs scored (166), eighth in RBI (129), seventh in walks (97), sixth in sacrifice bunts (19), ninth in sacrifice flies (10) and seventh in hit by pitch (25). In 2020, Ford was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team.
Tusculum's three All-Region selections are tied for the second-most this season. North Greenville's five honorees are the most, while the Pioneers and Catawba have three each. Belmont Abbey, North Georgia, Columbus State, and Mount Olive have two honorees apiece.
The Pioneers are 30-11 overall this year and are currently ranked 14th in the nation. Tusculum established a school and SAC single-season record with 25 league wins this spring.
NCBWA Division II All-Southeast Region Team
First Team
C – John Michael Faile, North Greenville
1B – Hunter Shepherd, Catawba
2B – Daulton Martin, Tusculum
3B – Livan Reinoso, Erskine
SS – Isaac Bouton, Columbus State
OF – Tucker Greer, Young Harris
OF – Brandon Trammell, Tusculum
OF – Marek Chlup, North Greenville
DH – Nik Levensteins, North Georgia
UT – Gehrig Octavio, North Greenville
SP – Hunter Stevens, Mount Olive
SP – Bryan Ketchie, Catawba
SP – Brayden Coe, Carson-Newman
RP – Robbie Cowie, Catawba
Second Team
C – Robert Brooks, Columbus State
1B – Benjamin Huber, Limestone
2B – Mason Dodd, Belmont Abbey
3B – Todd Mattox, Francis Marion
SS – Bryson Ford, Tusculum
OF – Drue Galassi, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Ethan Stringer, North Greenville
OF – Crews Taylor, North Georgia
DH – Brady West, North Greenville
UT – River Ryan, UNC Pembroke
SP – Drew Moore, King
SP – Tucker Smith, Georgia Southwestern
SP – Reed Parris, Mount Olive
RP – Dylan Smith, Belmont Abbey
Region Player of the Year: John Michael Faile, North Greenville
Region Pitcher of the Year: Hunter Stevens, Mount Olive
Region Coach of the Year: Robb Watt, Mount Olive
