FSU's Posey Named ACC Player of the Year

By BRANDON MELLOR

Florida State catcher Buster Posey has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference's Baseball Player of the Year.

The Leesburg, Ga. native garnered the post-season hardware thanks to a stellar junior season that also has him in strong consideration for National Player of the Year honors as the best player in all of college baseball. Posey currently leads the ACC in batting average (.471), hits (96), runs scored (75), runs batted in (68), total bases (175), on-base percentage (.571) and slugging percentage (.858).

Posey, who recently played all nine positions for the Seminoles in a victory over Savannah State, boasts a .982 fielding percentage from his position behind the plate. In addition to his exploits as catcher, Posey is 6-for-6 in save opportunities as part-time closer for the 'Noles.

This is the second year in a row that an FSU player has earned the ACC's top recognition. Tony Thomas, Jr., who is currently in the Chicago Cubs farm system playing for the Daytona Cubs, earned the honor last season. Posey joins Thomas, John Ford-Griffin (2001), Marshall McDougall (1999) and J.D. Drew on FSU's all-time list of conference players of the year.

Joining Posey on the First-Team All-ACC list are senior outfielder Jack Rye and junior pitcher Elih Villanueva. Second baseman Tony Delmonico and pitcher Matt Fairel were named to the second team rounding out the list of Seminoles that received the honor.

Florida State faces Wake Forest on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. to kick off the 2008 ACC Baseball Tournament.