CLEVELAND, Miss. –  Delta State University junior Zack Shannon was named the American Baseball Coaches Association's (ABCA)/Rawlings National Player of the Year announced by the organization on Wednesday.
 
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native becomes the fifth Statesmen and the first since Jud Thigpen (2004) to be selected the ABCA/Rawlings National Player of the Year.  Past winners from Delta State include Bubba Dixon (1994), David Townsend (1996), Dee Haynes (2000) and Thigpen.
 
"The ABCA National Player of the Year is a tremendous honor for Zack, our baseball program, and our university," Head Coach Mike Kinnison said. "His accomplishments this year make him very deserving and were a major factor in our team's success."
 
In his first season with the Statesmen, the Wabash Valley Community College transfer made an immediate impact for the Statesmen. Shannon paced the GSC in batting average (.434), RBIs (88), RBIs per game (1.5), hits (95), home runs (19), total bases (166), slugging percentage (.758) and on base percentage (.498). Shannon led the nation in RBIs and ranked fourth in the NCAA in batting average, third in RBIs per game, ninth in home runs, third in total bases, and eighth in slugging percentage. Shannon ranks second on DSU's single season list in RBIs, third in batting average and fourth in home runs, hits, and total bases (166).

The 6-foot-3 first baseman adds to a long list of postseason accolades which includes: The Tino Martinez Award, Gulf South Conference Player of the Year, NCBWA and D2CCA National Player of the Year and First-Team All-American, NCBWA, ABCA, and D2CCA South Region Player of the Year, First-Team All-GSC and NCBWA, ABCA, and D2CCA First-Team All-South Region. Shannon was selected the GSC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and to the NCAA Division II South Region All-Tournament team. Shannon was also a finalist for the C-Spire Dave "Boo" Ferriss Trophy.
 
Delta State finished the year 45-13 record and 25-8 in the GSC. The Statesmen captured the school's 14^th GSC Tournament title, won the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament and made their 12^th NCAA Division II College World Series appearance.