Coker is SAC Player of the Year

Former Murphy baseball standout Josh Coker has been named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.

More from his college, Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.):

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Lincoln Memorial University senior outfielder Josh Coker was christened as the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, headlining a list of four Railsplitters arrayed with postseason accolades, the league office announced on Wednesday with the unveiling of the SAC regular-season baseball awards. Along with Coker, who also earned All-SAC Second Team as a reliever, Kelvin Brito and Jean Rodriguez were named to the All-SAC Second Team while Kyle Floyd was an honorable mention selection.

Josh Coker (Murphy, N.C.) joins men's golf's Rand Wasson (Norris, Tenn.) and men's basketball's Vincent Bailey (Jennings, Fla.) by collecting South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year laurels. The Murphy, North Carolina native fronted a lethal offensive attack for the Railsplitters (26-15-1, 16-8 SAC), which led the SAC in runs scored, RBI, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, by posting one of the most prolific individual seasons in program history.

Coker compiled a slash line of .373/.754/.452 (batting/slugging/on-base), ranking sixth, first and fourth in the conference, respectively, in those categories. Additionally, he finished the regular season ranked second in the SAC in home runs with 13, fourth in RBI with 44, fifth in total bases with 107 and fifth in doubles with 15 two-baggers. Coker has placed himself in elite company nationally in several of those categories as he ranks third in the NCAA Division II in homers, sixth in slugging and 21st in total bases.

Coker hit safely in 35 of his 41 games played this season, racking up 14 multiple hit games and 12 multiple RBI games. From March 3 until March 8, the Walters State Community College transfer went on an absolute tear, going 7-for-15 with 12 RBI and four home runs during a five-game stretch, becoming the first NCBWA National Hitter of the Week in program history. Coker's .754 slugging percentage currently ranks second in Lincoln Memorial's single-season history, while his 13 dingers are tied for the sixth-most in the school record book.

Coker's bat sizzled in nearly every situation, but it truly came alive when it mattered the most. He finished the regular season batting .382 with runners on base, .667 with the bases loaded, .434 with runners in scoring position and .750 with a runner on third and less than two outs.

Along with capturing SAC Player of the Year and All-SAC First Team distinctions, Coker was voted by the league's coaches to the All-SAC Second Team as a relief pitcher. Coker posted a stingy 2.70 ERA with a 1-1 record, 20.0 innings pitched and 14 total appearances. Over that stretch, Coker finished first in the South Atlantic Conference with eight saves, which sets a new school single-season record. The previous benchmark was seven, compiled by Ray Burchell during the 2008 campaign. He averaged nearly a strikeout per inning with 19, while holding opponents to a .263 batting average against.

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