Curcio and Vavra Named Daktronics Second Team All-South Region Selections

TAMPA - Florida Southern junior centerfielder Keith Curcio and senior first baseman Trey Vavra picked up an All-South Region accolade on Thursday as the pair were both named to the Daktronics Second Team All-South Region squad as voted on by SIDs in the South Region. The Daktronics All-South Region Team encompasses players from the Sunshine State, Gulf South and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conferences and several Division II Independents.

The D2SIDA All-America and All-Region baseball teams are sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The teams are voted on by the members of D2SIDA and the NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors Association.

The online nomination and voting processes are powered by Sidearm Sports. Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Sidearm Sports is the official provider of college athletic websites for over 600 sports organizations at all levels of competition. To receive more information on how your institution can partner with Sidearm Sports for a customized website solution, visit www.sidearmsports.com.

Curcio and Vavra were two of the 23 players selected from the SSC and two of 12 players named to the Daktronics All-South Region Second Team. In addition to the 23 players from the SSC, the other nine players that comprise the All-Region Team hail from the GSC.

Top-ranked and South Regional Tournament host Tampa led the way with nine players selected, including five first team honorees, while Lynn had four players selected. Delta State, Saint Leo and Valdosta State each had three players honored. FSC, Nova Southeastern and West Florida each had two overall selections. The remainder of the teams was made up of players from Alabama-Huntsville, Barry, Eckerd and Rollins. 

It marks the first time since the 2012 season that the 24th-ranked Moccasins have had players named to the Daktronics All-South Region Baseball Team. In 2012, Mike Snyder was named a first team selection and Cory Jensen earned second team honors.

Curcio, who is a native of Sarasota, Fla., earns his Daktronics Second-Team All-South Region honor after  recording a .314 batting average in 49 games and 49 starts. On the season, Curcio, who was named a First-Team All-SSC selection earlier this week, leads the team in runs scored (45), is fourth in base hits (59), has hit eight doubles, tied for the team lead in triples with four and is second in home runs with five and has had 29 RBIs. He has struck out just 14 times in 188 at-bats and is the sixth toughest player in the league to strike out as he strikes out every 13.4 at-bats. In addition, he leads the team and is third in the SSC in stolen bases with 22 as he is 22-for-23 on steals this year and his 29 walks is tied for third-most in the SSC. He has had 15 multi-hit games and eight multiple RBI games and missed hitting for the cycle in two games this season as he fell a single short of the cycle at Warner on April 23 and missed the cycle by a double against Saint Leo on April 26. In 24 SSC games, Curcio hit .293 with 27 hits, 18 runs scored, hit two doubles, one triple, three home runs and recorded 11 RBIs and was 9-for-10 on stolen bases. In his three seasons as a Moc, Curcio has hit .326 as he has recorded 164 hits, scored 104 runs, hit 23 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs and has had 74 RBIs and is 57-for-64 on stolen bases.

Vavra, who is a native of Menomonie, Wis., earns his Daktronics Second-Team All-South Region honor after leading the team in home runs with six and leading the SSC in RBIs with 48. In addition, Vavra, who is a transfer from Eastern Illinois, is second on the team in hits with 62 and has a .495 slugging percentage and has recorded 20 multi-hit games and a team-best 14 multiple RBI games, including a season high 7 RBI performance earlier this season against Albany State. Additionally, he has hit 12 doubles, which is second on the team, one triple and has walked 15 times and is 2-for-3 on stolen bases.

The Moccasin pair is joined on the Daktronics Second-Team All-Region Team by Tampa catcher Nick Tindall, Valdosta State designated hitter Bryant Hayman, Tampa second baseman Orlando Rivera, Nova Southeastern Alvin Swoope, Saint Leo Dylan Harris, Delta State outfielder Jordan Chovanac, West Florida outfielder Austin Southall, Saint Leo utility player (non-pitcher) Nick Perez, Nova Southeastern utility (pitcher) Alex Fernandez, Lynn starting pitcher Jed Vandernaald, Eckerd starting pitcher Jimmy Gutowski, Alabama-Huntsville starting pitcher Drew Eiland, Tampa starting pitcher Trey Oest and Tampa relief pitcher Kevin McNorton.

Tampa designated hitter Stephen Dezzi and Tampa starting pitcher Preston Packrall were named the Daktronics South Region Player and Pitcher of the Year respectively.

Dezzi and Packrall are joined on the Daktronics All-South Region First Team by Lynn catcher Sal Giardina, Jr., Saint Leo first baseman Fran Whitten, Valdosta State second baseman Matthew Fears, Valdosta State shortstop Mike Reed, Tampa third baseman Tyler Ding, Barry outfielder Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, Tampa outfielder Michael Danner, Delta State outfielder Dex Herrington, Lynn utility player (non-pitcher) Alex DeBellis, Rollins utility player (pitcher) Matt Hendricks, West Florida starting pitcher Jordan DeLorenzo, Tampa starting pitcher David Heintz, Delta State starting pitcher Michael Manley and Lynn relief pitcher Bill Mendek.