June 5, 2007

NEWBERG, Ore. -- In what appears to be the final postseason award presented for the 2007 baseball season, junior outfielder Hunter Owen picks up his sixth award in three weeks, as the National College Baseball Writers Association named him the South Region Player of the Year early Tuesday afternoon.

"I'm excited," Owen said. "Any awards you get after the season is over are a nice thing to have. I wasn’t as surprised to get the SCAC Player of the Year as I was the South Region Player of the Year and the All-America selection. I hadn't really paid much attention to the other awards and was pleasantly suprised. For us to get our name on the list, it might help future players learn more about Millsaps and make them want to play here."

After being sidelined early in the 2006 season due to injury, Owen entered the spring battling with teammates Tait Hendrix and Joe Blades for a permanent spot in the Majors' lineup.

"Coming into the season, pretty much the only spot available in the lineup was in rightfield," Owen said. "I knew I had to work really hard in the offseason to get better and it was really rewarding to earn the spot before the season began."

Owen, who started playing in a wooden bat league (Coastal Plain League) in New Burn, N.C., at the conclusion of the season on May 30, will remain in the Carolina's and Virginia until August 8 before returning home to Jackson.