Two NCCU Eagles Named NCCSIA Baseball All-State

Corey Joyce and Zach Michalski

By JONATHAN DUREN


NCCU ASID

DURHAM, N.C. – For the fifth consecutive year, the North Carolina Central University baseball program is represented on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) All-State list as both Corey Joyce (Lexington, N.C.) and Zach Michalski (Belews Creek, N.C.) were voted Second Team All-State, the organization announced on Monday, June 18.

Michalski joins current Joyce on the list of Eagles who have been named NCCSIA All-State, as Joyce was voted Second Team All-State in 2017 as well. Former student-athletes Alex Dandridge, Zack Lee, Carlos Ortiz, Tyson Simpson, Andrew Vernon and Carter Williamson are also on the list of former Eagles who have been selected NCCSIA Baseball All-State.

Joyce is named NCCSIA All-State for the second consecutive year, and adds another award to his spectacular sophomore season as he was voted MEAC Player of the Year as well as First Team All-MEAC after finishing top-3 in the league in multiple batting categories. Joyce led the Eagles with a .358 batting average, .542 slugging percentage and .456 on base percentage, and he drove in 37 RBI. He broke the NCCU modern era record with 15 doubles, and tacked on six home runs from the right side of the plate. Joyce also swiped 27 bases to tie for fourth-most in a single-season at NCCU, and he ranks top-30 in the NCAA in that category.

Michalski was a First Team All-MEAC selection with Joyce after being a power generator from the clean-up spot in the order. Michalski became the first Eagle to drive in over 50 RBI in a season in the modern era as he collected 51 RBI with 13 doubles and eight home runs, the second-most long balls in the MEAC. He finished second in slugging percentage in the league at .525, along with a .318 batting average and .376 on base percentage.

Founded in 2002, the NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of North Carolina. The purpose of the organization is to promote collegiate athletics at all schools. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina, and whose area of responsibility lies within sports information.

NCCSIA selects all-state teams in the University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, NAIA) divisions for men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, softball, and baseball.