College of Charleston Baseball Update from Mark Etheridge

The following article written by Mark ethridge (sebaseball.rivals.com)

Talk about it in The Dugout
Last season College of Charleston led the nation in batting average (.350), runs (552), and slugging % (570). With all that offense it is hard to fathom how they were an unlikely omission from Regional play.

This spring the Cougars will rely on more on pitching and defense as they attempt to defend their Southern Conference regular season title.

"We will be deeper on the mound and better defensively," said Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Scott Foxhall. "The question is whether we can be as good as we have traditionally been offensively. Will the new guys answer the bell? I think the talent is here ... maybe as talented a team overall as we have had."

Head coach John Pawlowski's squad lost their entire infield including the catcher along with the weekend rotation.

College of Charleston will have a different look this season
Gone are top hitters Chris Campbell (.385/12/82), Graham Maiden (382/10/42), Ben Lasater (.376/15/54), Alex Garabedian (.353/13/58), and Oliver Marmol (.345/7/45). The quintet totaled 57 home runs - more than five of the ten SoCon team totals last season.

Also missing are pitchers Nick Chigges (11-1/3.52), Jeff Beliveau (3-2/4.56), and Michael Bunton (4-2/6.72). The trio combined to start 44 of the 58 games last season.

Fortunately, there are some Cougars returning with experience to blend with an impressive group of newcomers.

Michael Harrington (.364/13/66) is the top returning hitter. He'll play a corner outfield spot and hit third or fourth. The other two outfield starters also return in Gabe Marchant (.299/8/47/16 sbs) and Stuart Haywood (.389/1/37/10 sbs). Jedd Cordisco (.333/2/11) provides speed as the fourth outfielder.

The infield will have a different look as the newcomers lead the way. Defensive whiz Austin Morgan is a junior college transfer behind the plate. The left side has a pair of juco transfers as probable starters. Jeremie Tice is a middle of the order type who will play third. Mike Hentz is a strong defensive option at short.

Second base is a competition between junior college transfer Brandon Sizemore and returnee Joey Bergman (.418/1/14). Michael Kohn (.312/9/42) is a candidate at first and DH along with junior college transfer Joash Brodin. Brodin comes from the same school that produced former Kentucky slugger Ryan Strieby and has some similarities.

The pitching staff gets a boost from Danny Meszaros who missed 2007 with labrum surgery. Jake Goldberg (6-1/3.72) did well last season and will get an opportunity for an enhanced role this year. The coaches are excited about junior college transfer lefty Austin Garrett. Garrett may be the team's best arm. Other starting candidates include Clay Caulfield and Ole Miss transfer Jesse Simpson.

Top bullpen options include freshman Casey Lucchese and junior Jordan Tiegs.

The team got a huge boost this fall from Kohn - a first baseman/DH a season ago. Kohn worked on the mound and was phenomenal earning a chance to be the Cougar closer. His emergence is a real key since the bullpen -- normally a Charleston strength -- was a liability last season.

If Kohn, a senior pitching for the first time in college can close games, there is no reason to expect anything less than another successful campaign for the Cougars at renovated Patriots Point.

Cougs Announce Additions

From the CofC Sports Official Web-Site:
"College of Charleston coach Bobby Cremins announced Wednesday the signing of point guard Quasim Pugh and forward Matt Sundberg to national letters of intent for the 2008-09 season.
Pugh (5-11, 165) is from St. Thomas More High School in Oakdale, Conn., while Sundberg (6-6, 185) prepped at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga.
“We are excited about these two young men coming to the College of Charleston," The will definitely make our team better," said Cremins, whose teams plays at Fordham at 1:00 on Saturday. “Quasim is a very exciting point guard from New York City who can handle and push the ball up the court. He plays with a lot of energy and is a tremendous passer. He is also coached by Jere Quinn, one of the highly regarded coaches in the country.“Matt is a very athletic wing player and an excellent shooter. He is versatile and can play three positions. Matt knows how to play and will help our team with his perimeter shooting.”

Cougars sign TCC stand-out!

Original post on April 1, 2007: Jamestown (Berkeley County) native and Tallahassee Community College standout, Dustin Scott signed with the College of Charleston as a Junior College transfer on Thursday at 3:30 pm. It has long been college basketball lore about Frank McGuire's pipeline to the Catholic School in New York City, but now it seems that the College of Charleston might have a similar pipeline to TCC, as Scott becomes the 3rd TCC player to don a Cougar uniform. Bernard Jackson who played for the Cougs from 2002-2005 and Marcus Johnson who played for the Cougs from 2003-2004, were both former TCC standouts. Look for Cremins to throw Scott into the mix as a starter this season as a forward.

As a freshman, Scott averaged 13.5-points and 8.5-boards per game, shooting 54% from the field. He continued his course of excellence in his sophomore year scoring 14-points and 8-boards per game, shooting 47% from the field. Scott leaves TCC with the all-time rebounding title, grabbing 534-rebounds in his 2-years playing for the Eagles.

Many of the bigs (i.e. Florida, Rocky Top and "Slick Rick" from Louisville) have courted Scott, but he decided after visiting the College that he wanted to play for the legendary Coach, Bobby Cremins. A very wise decision Mr. Scott.

Antwaine Wiggins signs with the College of Charleston

Original post on April 14, 2007
Antwaine Wiggins a three-star prospect as ranked by Scout.com signed with the College of Charleston Cougars on the 13th of April (Knoxville News). Wiggins averaged 26.3 points and 11 boards last season for Greeneville (Tenn) High and will be utilized as a shooting-forward-to hopefully fill the shoes of David Lawrence. And at 6-7, 180 lbs. Wiggins appears to be at least the right size (5 pounds lighter than D.L.) to fill those shoes. The hub-bub on George Street is that Wiggins will be a starter at small-forward as a true freshman this season. (Photo courtesy of Scouts.com)

Deal-Maker
What gave the College of Charleston the edge over App State as Wiggins choice to play basketball? Coach Cremins is your answer; said Antwaine, “He’s been through a lot and he’s like one of the greatest coaches ever and I thought it would be a privilege to play for someone with that prestige.” We've said a million-times, Coach Cremins is a recruiting-road-warrior.

The Coll of Charleston gets a verbal commitment from Sundberg for 2008

Harrison High School standout, Matt Sundberg made a verbal commitment on July 30, 2007 to come to the College after his senior year of high school 2008. Sundberg is a 6-6, 175 pound small forward from Kennesaw, Georgia, who plays with the AAU Atlanta Celtics (White) and the Inter strength (black) traveling teams in Georgia Under-17 squads.

Press
Rivals.com evaluation of Matt: "The 6-foot-5 wing from Harrison High School can stroke it from the wing but his understanding of the game makes his team better and helps the offense flow. He'll be a name to follow throughout the July period."

Youth Prep Star evaluated Sundberg as a "talented shooter who runs the court well".

Sundberg cited his decision to come to Charleston as an "existing relationship with one of the assistant coaches"; he was also recruited by Georgia, Western Kentucky and the Univ. of South Carolina
(Photo credits: UGA.Rivals.com)

Donovan Monroe signs with the Cougars!

Original post on April 2, 2007
Fork Union point-guard, Donovan Monroe committed to the College of Charleston for next season (ESPN Briefing Room). The ex-Parkwood basketball player, Charlotte Royals (AAU Team) and Waxhaw, N.C. native was courted by Virginia Tech, St. John’s and UNC-Wilmington among others. More than likely, the offer from V-tech came after Fork Union’s basketball team defeated the Hokies in two straight games last November. Monroe first landed on my radar back in February, when Coach Cremins (see: “Coach Cremins is a recruiting road warrior”) made a morning trip to watch Fork Union play UNC’s Junior Varsity Squad, Donovan Monroe scored 17-points during the game handing the Tarheels JV-Squad their first loss of the season.

Scout.com lists (Monroe) the 6’2; 180-lb combo-guard as a "talented scorer and mid-range offensive weapon, with areas of improvement regarding his ball-handling skills and on the defensive-side of the ball, as well as consistency". (I always love it when they mention how key a player is and how dependable they are with dropping “big-game” buckets, but then note “consistency” as a weakness.) Especially because Monroe was the only consistent player (read: offensive-threat: hitting from the perimeter, dropping baskets with his left hand in the paint and driving to the basket against a 2-3 Zone) on the Fork Union squad. Assuming Monroe’s main improvements are needed on the defensive-side of the ball is quite fortuitous for Donovan because the Factory on George Street turns out defensive-machines every year. Welcome aboard Mr. Monroe!

Apprehension on posting the College of Charleston Basketball Recruits

I know the Maroon Nation has been dying to know who we have to fill the shoes of the four seniors who left this past season and I had eight posts from this past spring to put up on the board, but it was brought to my attention by fellow CofC Sports Fan Jamie Mellen, that in the game of recruitment, it is sometimes not the best thing to "tip your hand" so other teams know your strategy. And then I had a call from Rob Going who noted from a lawyer's stand-point that nothing is set in stone. To which I replied, everything is set in stone once you sign on the dotted-line; to which my buddy, third-year-law-student and fellow CofC Sports Fan Rob Going told me, "Not necessarily, you can post it, but you will look like an idiot when the kids don't show."

I hung-up with the conversation thinking Rob doesn't known anything, blast these law students, blah-blah-blah, then I picked up the paper to read that a young man named Tim Sexton, who had signed with the College to play baseball, decided last week to go ahead and play for the Los Angeles Dodgers instead, where of course, he will join former Coll of Charleston catcher, Alex Garabedian.

Dilemma? Yes, but I didn't spend 4-years at the College tripping over the bricks on our campus side-walks to have this be the first time I look like an idiot (for more idiot evidence see: Photo of Jed Trabert and Jamie Mellen before the So-Con Tourney). I am going back in and publishing the recruits and I will copy those posts over the next couple of days. After of course, I double-check to make sure none of these guys backed out.

Cougs sign Jeremy Simmons from Tucker High School (Tucker, Ga.)

Original post on April 9, 2007: The College of Charleston Cougars basketball team added depth to the roster in the power-forward position with the addition of Jeremy Simmons from Tucker High School (Tucker, Georgia). Simmons (6-7, 225) is ranked 17th among recruits in the state of Georgia and he was a major reason (especially his nasty dunk in the 4th quarter) the Tucker Tigers were able to defeat their Dekalb County rivals, Columbia High School for the Class 4A Championship in the state of Georgia. Simmons was also being recruited by Providence, Tulane, Ball State and even Vandy was looking at this young man. (Photo credits: Rivals.com)

The experience young Jeremy had in high school, coming from a team that had lost eight-seniors and four-starters last year and lost to Columbia twice during the regular season, to winning the state championship in their division (last March) as well as ending the Columbia Eagles 51-game-win-streak is of David and Goliath proportions. I just hope he can continue his development and carry this moxie onto the court for the Cougars.

Matt Sundberg makes a verbal commitment to play for the College of Charleston

Harrison High School standout, Matt Sundberg made a verbal commitment on July 30, 2007 to come to the College after his senior year of high school 2008. Sundberg is a 6-6, 175 pound small forward from Kennesaw, Georgia, who plays with the AAU Atlanta Celtics (White) and the Inter strength (black) traveling teams in Georgia Under-17 squads.

Press
Rivals.com evaluation of Matt: "The 6-foot-5 wing from Harrison High School can stroke it from the wing but his understanding of the game makes his team better and helps the offense flow. He'll be a name to follow throughout the July period."

Youth Prep Star evaluated Sundberg as a "talented shooter who runs the court well".

Sundberg was recruited by Georgia, Univ. of South Carolina
(Photo credits: UGA.Rivals.com)

Antwaine Wiggins signs with the Cougars

Antwaine Wiggins a three-star prospect as ranked by Scout.com signed with the College of Charleston Cougars on the 13th of April (Knoxville News). Wiggins averaged 26.3 points and 11 boards last season for Greeneville (Tenn) High and will be utilized as a shooting-forward-to hopefully fill the shoes of David Lawrence. And at 6-7, 180 lbs. Wiggins appears to be at least the right size (5 pounds lighter than D.L.) to fill those shoes. (Photo courtesy of Scouts.com)

Deal-Maker
What gave the College of Charleston the edge over App State as Wiggins choice to play basketball? Coach Cremins is your answer; said Antwaine, “He’s been through a lot and he’s like one of the greatest coaches ever and I thought it would be a privilege to play for someone with that prestige.” We've said a million-times, Coach Cremins is a recruiting-road-warrior.

Jeremy Simmons signs with the College!

The College of Charleston Cougars basketball team added depth to the roster in the power-forward position with the addition of Jeremy Simmons from Tucker High School (Tucker, Georgia). Simmons (6-7, 225) is ranked 17th among recruits in the state of Georgia and he was a major reason (especially his nasty dunk in the 4th quarter) the Tucker Tigers were able to defeat their Dekalb County rivals, Columbia High School for the Class 4A Championship in the state of Georgia. Simmons was also being recruited by Providence, Tulane, Ball State and even Vandy was looking at this young man. (Photo credits: Rivals.com)

The experience young Jeremy had in high school, coming from a team that had lost eight-seniors and four-starters last year and lost to Columbia twice during the regular season, to winning the state championship in their division (last March) as well as ending the Columbia Eagles 51-game-win-streak is of David and Goliath proportions. I just hope he can continue his development and carry this moxie onto the court for the Cougars.