Woodley Recognized as HCAC Co-Coach of the Year

GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2013 All-HCAC honors on Tuesday with head coach Derek Woodley receiving Co-Coach of the Year recognition. DC pitcher and first baseman Darin Waterman was named to the All-HCAC Second Team, while seven other Yellow Jackets received Honorable Mention status.

Woodley did a remarkable job in the 2013 season with the Purple and Gold, as the sixth year head coach took a team selected last in the preseason coaches' poll to a fourth place finish and a trip to the HCAC Tournament for the first time since 2004. The team recorded 20 wins this season for the third time in program history and the 20 victories were the most for a DC baseball team since the 1995 season.

With the honor, Woodley is the sixteenth coach in Defiance College history to have been awarded the HCAC Coach of the Year and the second in the 2012-2013 athletic year, with DC volleyball head coach Brie Brenner also receiving the accolade. Woodley becomes the first Yellow Jacket baseball coach to garner the recognition since joining the conference in 2000.

Waterman was honored by the conference for the third time in as many years, as the junior was named All-HCAC Second Team for the second-consecutive season. Waterman did it all for the Jackets, as the Celina product was one of DC's top pitchers and hitters in 2013. At the dish, the junior led the team in slugging percentage, runs scored, RBIs, doubles, home runs, and total bases. On the mound, Waterman led the team in strikeouts with 64 and was one of only two pitchers to not allow a home run all season.

The seven members of the Purple and Gold to earn Honorable Mention recognition were Alex Schomaeker, Jake Taylor, Aaron Patterson, Andy Habecker, Chris Donese, Aaron Helland and Ryan Kohlhofer. Each of these seven individuals contributed to the great season and made a large impact on the success of the team either at the plate or on the mound.

Also receiving an award from the Heartland on Tuesday was DC sophomore catcher Ian Burkhart, who was named to the HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team for his great attitude on the field and in the dugout.

The Yellow Jackets will hope to build on the success of the 2013 season next year, as six-of-eight starting position players return for the Purple and Gold.