The University of Mississippi Athletics
Pettway, Head Earn All-America Honors From The NCBWA
6/14/2005 | Baseball
June 14, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. - Junior outfielder Brian Pettway was a first team selection to the 15th annual National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-America team, while junior Stephen Head garnered second team honors as a utility player Tuesday.
Pettway started all 68 games for Ole Miss, hitting .383 with 21 home runs and 67 RBI. He became the second player in school history to record 100 hits in a season, setting a new school season mark with 102. His 21 home runs tied the Ole Miss single-season record and he also established a new school mark with 184 total bases.
Pettway was drafted in the third round of last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He also earned first team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball newspaper and was a second team selection by USA Today/Sports Weekly.
Head also started all 68 games for the Rebels, making 61 starts at first base and drawing seven starts on the mound. At the plate, he posted a .331 batting average with 18 home runs and a team-high 68 RBI. On the mound, he made 24 appearances, going 7-3, with eight saves, and a 2.54 ERA, striking out 77 while walking 27 in 85 innings.
Stephen Head holds the Ole Miss career record for saves with 26.  | |
He finished his junior season with 26 career saves to break the Ole Miss career record of 24 set by Justin Huisman from 1998-2000.
This is the third straight year Head has earned All-America honors, making him the first three-time All-America selection in Ole Miss history. Head joins Jake Gibbs and Paul Husband as the only players in school history to earn All-America honors at least twice in a career. He also earned first team All-America honors this spring as a utility player by USA Today/Sports Weekly and was named a third team All-America by Collegiate Baseball newspaer.
Head was selected in the second round by the Cleveland Indians in last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
"Obviously, we're extremely proud of both Brian and Stephen," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "Both are very deserving of All-America status this season. Both Brian and Stephen were not only two of the top players in the Southeastern Conference this season, but in the entire country.
"They were certainly a big part of the reason why we were so successful this season."
Ole Miss concluded its season with a 6-4 loss to Texas in game three of the NCAA Oxford Super Regional Monday night. The Rebels finished 48-20 to set a new school record for wins in a season. The NCAA Super Regional appearance was the Rebels' first-ever, and the 2005 season marked Ole Miss' third straight postseason appearance for the first time in school history.
