VALDOSTA — Former Lowndes Viking and Valdosta native Ben Williams was presented the 2007 Ken Dugan Award this past weekend. The award is the highest honor a Lipscomb University baseball player can achieve.
“Williams is the heart and soul of this team,” Lipscomb assistant coach Brian Ryman said in a press release. “He has the leadership qualities that you can’t teach a baseball player.”
“If I had nine players just like Ben, my job would be a lot easier.”
As a junior, Williams played a key role in the Bison’s season this year. He was an integral part of Lipscomb’s first ever run to the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.
The Ken Dugan award was created in 2001 to honor Lipscomb’s former head coach, who led the Bison from 1960 to 1996.
“Ben Williams is well deserving of the Dugan Award,” Lipscomb Athletic Director Steve Potts said in a press release.
Williams started in every game this season and finished ranked in the Top 5 in 12 statistical categories. He led the team in four categories: plate appearances (225), at bats (200), walks (21) and steal attempts (24).
This season he batted .249 with 32 runs and 13 RBI’s. He had 58 hits, four doubles, one triple and one home run. Williams had a .322 on base percentage.
The recipient of the award is selected by the Lipscomb Baseball Steering Committee, and is given each year to a player who best displays five characteristics. The player must show a commitment to excellence as a baseball player, an uncommon display of Christian character, a burning desire to be a true champion, outstanding leadership qualities, and he must be a player with an unbridled passion for baseball.
“The first thing we talked about in the steering committee was Coach Dugan and what he was all about as a person and a coach,” committee member Randy Bostic said in a press release.
“We then talked to the coaches to see who had those qualities, and Williams was the overwhelming choice.”
During his tenure at Lipscomb, Ken Dugan won two National Championships and more than 1100 games.
The award was given to Williams in a ceremony before a game last Saturday by Dugan’s daughter and two of his grandchildren.
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Ben Williams wins award at Lipscomb
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VSU teams hosting summer camps
The national champion Valdosta State softball team will host two separate summer camps this summer, as well as weekly clinics throughout the summer.
The two summer camps will be held on June 11-13 and July 9-11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The camps will cost $100 each. -
David Dean Youth Camp begins next week
The David Dean Youth Football Camp is quickly approaching.
The fourth annual camp will be held May 29-June 1 at the Athletic Fieldhouse off Mary Street. -
National champion head coach rewarded with new truck
National champion head coach rewarded with new truck Valdosta State head softball coach Thomas Macera was rewarded with a new Toyota Tacoma from Valdosta Toyota on Wednesday for his team’s 4-1 victory over the University of California-San Diego in the Division II Softball National Championship Game.
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Valwood’s Savino, Elliott named All-State soccer
Two Valwood boys’ soccer players have been named to the GISA Class AA All-State team.
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All-American again
Go ahead and add another award to resume of this year’s Valdosta State softball team.
Between conference player of the week awards, a national player of the week award, All-Conference and All-Region honors and four All-American awards, the national champion Blazers had plenty of individuals honored for performances throughout the season, which ultimately led to VSU’s first ever softball national title. -
Local area events coming soon
Several local area runs will take place in the coming weeks.
Monday, May 28, there will be a Memorial Day 5K, which will begin at 8 a.m. from the VECA School located on the corner of Azalea Drive and College Street. -
Tech bound
Donjahae Jones gets it done in the classroom and on the track.
One of the top students in her class, and one of the top track and field competitors in the state, Jones will be taking her talents to the Division I level after she signed a track and field scholarship with Georgia Tech on Tuesday. -
Blazers garner All-Region honors
Two Valdosta State baseball players have been named All-South Region while a third has garnered Academic All-Region, according to announcements made by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the Collegiate Sports Information Director's of America (CoSIDA) this week.
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Lowndes' Phelps named tennis Coach of the Year
Lowndes tennis coach Heath Phelps has been named the Region 1-AAAAA girls’ and boys’ tennis Coach of the Year, after he guided both teams to region championships.
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Wildcats close spring practice
VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Wildcats put their finishing touches on spring practice Saturday night with the playing of their annual spring game at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
No score was kept in the game, but the Wildcats did play best-on-best, pitting the starting offense against the starting defense. - More Local Sports Headlines
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VSU teams hosting summer camps
