Courtesy: WAC

HONOLULU--The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2009 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league’s head coaches.  Fresno State senior third baseman Tom Mendonca was named the Player of the Year and San Jose State senior Ryan Shopshire earned Pitcher of the Year honors. The Freshman of the Year award went to Hawai‘i outfielder Kolten Wong.  San Jose State’s Sam Piraro was named WAC Coach of the Year.

Mendonca, a junior from Turlock, Calif. (Turlock HS), batted .367 in conference play and led the WAC in home runs with 24 earning First Team and WAC Player of the Year. The junior was also named the 2009 Preseason WAC Player of the year.

Shopshire, a senior from Anaheim Hills, Calif., Calif. (Orange Lutheran HS), earned the WAC’s Pitcher of the Year award, becoming the first Spartan to the honor. He is the first San Jose State individual to pick up a top conference award since Junior Ruiz was the 2000 WAC Player of the Year. Shopshire went a perfect 4-0 over five league starts, including a seven-inning shutout with a career-high 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 home victory over rival Fresno State on April 25.

Wong, a native of Hilo, Hawai‘i (Kamehameha-Hawai‘i), batted .424 in WAC play, finishing with 29 RBI, 15 runs, five homers, two triples and 12 doubles. He’s UH’s first WAC Freshman of the Year since Andrew McNally won West Division Freshman of the Year honors in 1993.

Piraro, in his 22nd campaign in charge of the Spartans, was honored as the WAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time. Piraro has led his alma mater to a 39-18 overall win-loss record thus far in 2009. San Jose State reached its third WAC crown, all under Piraro, and first since 2000. The Spartans have eclipsed the 30-win plateau for a fourth straight year, have guaranteed themselves a winning overall record for the fourth season in a row, and finished with a winning WAC mark for the second consecutive year as well, at 15-7, their best since 2002.

2009 ALL-WAC HONORS   

Pitcher of the Year: Ryan Shopshire, Sr., San Jose State

Player of the Year: Tom Mendonca, Jr., Fresno State

Freshman of the Year: Kolten Wong, Hawai‘i

Coach of the Year: Sam Piraro, San Jose State

FIRST TEAM All-WAC:

Outfield - Tim Wheeler, Jr., Sacramento State

Outfield - Kolten Wong, Fr., Hawai‘i

Outfield - Devon Dageford, Jr., Louisiana Tech

Outfield - Dusty Robinson, Fr., Fresno State

First Base - Kevin Macdonald, Jr., Hawai‘i

Second Base - Danny Muno, So., Fresno State

Third Base – Tom Mendonca, Jr., Fresno State

Co-Shortstop – Kyle Bellows, Jr., San Jose State

Co-Shortstop – Bryan Marquez, Sr., New Mexico State

Catcher – Travis Simas, Sr., Nevada

Designated Hitter – Nick Melino, Fr., Nevada

Utility – Matt Bowman, Sr., Nevada

Starting Pitcher – Ryan Shopshire, Sr., San Jose State

Starting Pitcher – Jayson Kramer, Sr., Hawai‘i

Starting Pitcher – David Berner, Sr., San Jose State

Relief Pitcher – Holden Sprague, Sr., Fresno State

SECOND TEAM All-WAC:

Outfield – Jason Martin, So., San Jose State

Outfield – Nate Shaver, Jr., New Mexico State

Outfield – Westley Moss, Jr., Nevada

Outfield – Patrick Thomas, Sr., Louisiana Tech

First Base – Shaun Kort, Jr., Nevada

Second Base – Hunter Martinez, Sr., Sacramento State

Third Base – Corey Valine, Jr., San Jose State

Shortstop – Greg Garcia, So., Hawai‘i

Catcher – Jeff Farnham, Sr., New Mexico State

Designated Hitter – Mike Sodders, Jr., New Mexico State

Utility – Chris Kersten, Sr., Louisiana Tech

Starting Pitcher – Daniel Simon, Jr., New Mexico State

Starting Pitcher – Jesse Darrah, Fr., Sacramento State

Starting Pitcher – Derek Achelpohl, Sr., Nevada

Relief Pitcher – Daniel Tinlin, Jr., Nevada