By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the 100 years Tennessee Tech has fielded a varsity baseball team since 1923, there have been a tremendous wealth of exciting players, legendary moments, and fantastic finishes. Among the cream of Tech's crop, there are student-athletes who went on to become award winners, professional players, and even Hall of Famers.
To coincide with Tech Baseball's 100th Anniversary Celebration and First Pitch Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 28, a team encompassing all 100 varsity seasons between 1923 and 2022 has been created to embody the success of the program in its first century.
The selection undertook several stages with an inaugural matrix of more than 200 names taken across every roster in program history, taking into account several criteria, including Ohio Valley Conference champions, Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Famers, All-American honors, All-OVC awards, drafts into professional leagues, as well as individual game, season, and career records. Following the initial recommendation, the list was refined by a select committee, whittling the candidates down to 101 names over the program's 100 years.
There's no question there are notable omissions, but to create a broad picture of the entire 100-year history to date and be equitable to every era of Golden Eagle baseball, it is difficult to get every legendary player on such a prestigious list. However, we feel confident that the list presented is a tremendous representation of the program's first century.
Here is the Tennessee Tech Baseball All-Century Team:
COACHES:
Wilburn Tucker | Championship 1949 | 68-44-2
Malcolm Quillen | Championships 1955, 1956 | 45-31-1
W.A. Wright | Championship 1970 | 69-83-1
David Mays | Championships 1988, 1997 | 553-625-17
Aaron Carroll | Championship 2001 | 89-82
Matt Bragga | Championships 2009, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2018 | 476-419-2
STUDENT-ATHLETES:
Eddie "Jelly" Watson | – | 1922-28
Joe Sills | – | 1927-31
Malcolm Quillen | – | 1930-33
Raymond "Bull" Brown | – | 1933-37
L.C. "Lusk" Stubblefield | – | 1939-42
Jim Harrison | C | 1947-49
R.L. Highers | 2B | 1947-49
Don Cook | RHP | 1948-51
Dewey Alverson | OF | 1955-56
Ron Shumate | 1B | 1958-61
Dave Pratt | RHP | 1964-68
Robert "Rab" Malcolm | RHP | 1966, 69
Morris Irby | 3B/RHP | 1968-71
Bill Maclin | OF | 1968-71
Joe Wesche | SS | 1969-71
Randy Ayer | RHP | 1970-73
Eric Brown | C | 1970-73
Doris Sullivan | RHP | 1972-74
Mike Moore | RHP | 1972-75
Mike Winchester | OF | 1972-75
Donley Canary | OF | 1974-77
Ralph Mallicoat | LHP | 1975-78
Mike Tipton | 1B | 1975-78
David Grooms | OF | 1977-78
Joe Fisher | LHP | 1979-82
Tim Taylor | 2B | 1981-82
Howard Aiello | 2B | 1983-84
Tim Hill | OF | 1983-84
Steve Hawkins | SS | 1984-87
Derek Lane | OF | 1984-87
Scott Baerns | 2B | 1985-88
Mike Claudio | RHP | 1985-88
Todd Kemp | LHP | 1985-88
Troy Martin | OF | 1987-88
Kevin Caroland | UTL | 1987-90
Jeff Stallcup | RHP | 1987-90
Brent Carrier | 3B | 1988-89
Matt Ballard | OF | 1989-92
Craig Humberd | RHP | 1990-93
Erik Sabel | RHP | 1994-96
Mark Maberry | UTL | 1994-97
Craig Mullins | SS | 1995-96
Chad Malone | OF | 1995-98
Jeremy Bonczynski | 3B/OF | 1996-97
Matt Attaway | 1B | 1997-98
Ryan Browning | OF | 1997-98
Jesse Johnson | OF | 1999-02
Mike Meihls | C | 1999-02
Ben Cunningham | UTL | 2000-01
Matt Curtis | OF | 2000-01
Mark Gilliam | UTL | 2000-01
Bubbie Buzachero | RHP | 2000-02
Doug Vincent | RHP | 2000-03
Casey Benjamin | SS | 2001-03
Ben Downs | RHP | 2002-03
Cole Helms | UTL | 2001-03
Brandon Selvog | SS | 2004-05
Michael Alcorn | RHP | 2005-09
Steve Soper | C | 2006-07
Jake New | OF | 2006-08
Adam Liberatore | LHP | 2006-10
Thomas Nelson | SS | 2007-08
Ryan Dennick | RHP | 2008-09
A.J. Kirby-Jones | UTL | 2008-10
Casanova Donaldson | OF | 2008-11
Chad Oberacker | UTL | 2008-11
Lee Henry | RHP | 2008-11
Ben Burgess | C | 2009-12
Matthew Shepherd | RHP | 2009-12
Stephen Pryor | RHP | 2010
Tristan Archer | RHP | 2010-13
Austin Wulf | OF | 2010-13
Zach Stephens | 1B | 2011-14
David Hess | RHP | 2012-14
Seth Lucio | RHP | 2012-14
Dylan Bosheers | SS | 2012-15
Daniel Miles | 3B | 2013-14
Jordan Parris | C | 2013-14
Brandon Thomasson | OF/DH | 2013-14
Zach Zarzour | 2B | 2013-14
Ryan Flick | 1B/DH | 2015-17
Chase Chambers | 1B | 2015-18
Travis Moths | RHP | 2015-18
Trevor Putzig | 3B | 2015-18
Chris Brown | C/DH | 2016-17
Kit Fowler | RHP | 2016-17
Michael Wood | RHP | 2016-17
Marcus Evey | RHP | 2016-18
David Garza | SS | 2016-18
Alex Junior | OF | 2016-18
Nick Osborne | UTL | 2016-18
Ethan Roberts | RHP | 2016-18
Kevin Strohschein | OF | 2016-19
Collin Harris | OF | 2017-18
Brennon Kaleiwahea | C | 2017-18
Cody Littlejohn | UTL | 2017-21
John Ham | 2B | 2018
Jason Hinchman | 1B/OF | 2018-22
Golston Gillespie | 1B | 2021-22
Ed Johnson | SS | 2021-22
Gabe Lacy | 3B | 2021-22
