Daktronics Release (PDF)

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. - Southwest Minnesota State University senior baseball player Derek West has been named to the 2009 Daktronics honorable mention All-America team released on Friday.  West is one of 63 players from 43 different institutions to be named either first, second, or third team All-America or named to the honorable mention team. 

It's the fourth major postseason honor for West this season.  Earlier this month he was named first team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, first team Daktronics All-Region and first team ABCA All-Region.

West, a senior outfielder from Chamberlain, S.D., finished the season leading the Mustangs with a .417 batting average, while ranking third in home runs (9), RBI (41), hits (60) and total bases (101).  His batting average this season ranks as the sixth highest in one season in school history.  West also had eight doubles, three triples, eight stolen bases and tied for the team-lead with 19 bases on balls.  He also finished the season ranking third on the team with 19 multi-hit games and third in multi-RBI games with 14.

As of May 22 (prior to the start of the NCAA II College World Series), West ranks 47th in the nation in batting average (.417), 64th in on-base percentage (.494) and 67th in slugging percentage (.701). 
 
West finished his career at SMSU ranking high in the school record book including fourth in batting average (.374), ninth in slugging pct. (.596), ninth in on-base pct. (.460) and tied for 15th in home runs (16).

The All-America team is 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 team is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Southwest Minnesota State finished the 2009 season with an overall record of 28-15 and made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Central Region Tournament.  The Mustangs finished fourth at the six-team regional tournament in Grand Junction, Colo., with a record of 1-2.

SMSU, located in Marshall, Minn., is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.