Aranas Named First-Team Preseason All-American by NCBWA

AIKEN, S.C. – University of South Carolina Aiken senior Nick Aranas has been tabbed to the 2012 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-America First-Team.

Aranas was chosen to the preseason All-America team as a utility player.

It is the third preseason honor for Aranas, who was recently selected to the Peach Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference Team as a designated hitter. He was also named as a Player to Watch by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Aranas, who was also named to the NCBWA All-Southeast Region First-Team, was one of three Pacers honored by the NCBWA. Junior Josh Miller was named to the All-Southeast Region Second-Team as a catcher. Senior Stephen Carmon was tabbed to the Third-Team as a shortstop.

Aranas missed the entire 2011 season due to injury after entering the season as a preseason All-American and a member of the Peach Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference Team. He was named to the 2011 Tino Martinez Award Watch List.

Aranas ended his junior season by being named to the 2010 NCAA Division II Daktronics All-America Baseball First-Team as a designated hitter.

Aranas finished the 2010 season leading the Pacers with a .415 (83-for-200) batting average. The batting average was the third-best in the Peach Belt Conference in 2010.

In total, the Lexington, S.C. native finished the 2010 season in the top 15 in the PBC in six different categories.

Aranas was second-best among all Pacers in 2010 with 53 RBIs and 46 runs scored. He was second on the squad in total bases over the course of the year as well with 129.

Aranas slugged a team second-best .645 and had a team-high on-base percentage of .481. Aranas captured a team-high 29 multiple hit games in 2010, including 21 two-hit games. He was second on the squad in multiple RBI games with 14. He was also second on the squad with 25 extra-base knocks. He had a team-high tying 13 doubles to go along with three triples and nine home runs.

The Lexington High School product owned the team season-high hitting streak, securing a hit in 14 consecutive games at one point during the regular season.

Miller started 46 games behind the plate for USC Aiken as a sophomore in the 2011 season. Miller finished his sophomore campaign in 2011 for USC Aiken hitting .357 (65-for-182).

The Chapin, S.C. native obtained 39 RBIs in 2011 for the Pacers, while also scoring 27 runs. He closed the year with a team-high 282 putouts. The catcher stole a team third-best 12 bases in the 2011 season.

He started 14 games as a freshman in 2010. He was chosen the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Week on May 3, 2010.

Carmon was recently selected a 2012 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Preseason All-American.

A native of Camden, S.C., Carmon finished his 2011 season in the top 10 in the Peach Belt Conference in 13 different offensive categories. He was also second in the league in assists with 162.

Carmon, who ended the regular season first in the PBC in total bases (115) and triples (seven), started all 50 games for USC Aiken at shortstop in 2011.

He concluded his junior campaign hitting .373 (72-for-193) with 46 runs scored and 26 RBIs. He finished his season with 28 extra-base hits on 17 doubles, seven triples and four home runs.

The 2009 PBC Freshman of the Year had a slugging percentage of .596 and an on-base percentage of .474 in 2011.

The Camden High School product owned a team-best 11-game hitting streak in 2011. Carmon also obtained 20 multiple hit games in 2011.

A two-time PBC Player of the Week (Feb. 15 and Apr. 19) in 2011, Carmon stole a team-best 32 bases.

The 2011 Pacer baseball team finished its campaign with a record of 29-21. USC Aiken was 9-15 in Peach Belt Conference action in 2011.

USC Aiken’s 2012 schedule will commence with 13 straight home games at Roberto Hernandez Stadium as the Pacers will play all their games in February at home.

For the eighth straight year, USC Aiken will play its first three-game series of the year against Lincoln Memorial. The familiar foes will open their 2012 seasons with a 4 p.m. contest on Friday, Feb. 3. The three-game series between the Pacers and Railsplitters will end with single 1 p.m. games on Saturday, Feb. 4 and Sunday, Feb. 5. USC Aiken owns a 22-13 all-time series advantage over Lincoln Memorial.

NCBWA Preseason All-America/All-Region Teams - Click Link to Access