Three Mariners Earn ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Honors
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Three members of the Mitchell College baseball team earned All-Region honors when the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-Region teams were announced for all 10 regions on Tuesday morning. The teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. III All-America & Coach of the Year Committee.
Senior outfielder Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) was one of four outfielders and 12 position players to earn a spot on the Region 1 All-Region First Team, while junior Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) was one of three pitchers voted on to the First Team. Additionally, senior Camren Varney (Manchester, N.H.) was selected as one of five pitchers on the Region 1 All-Region Second Team. The three Mitchell players were among the 47 athletes honored in Region 1, which consisted of players from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York.
Lalli enjoyed a breakout season in which he slashed .381/.446/.645 with a OPS of 1.019, finishing seventh in the conference in batting average and third in slugging percentage. The senior had 59 hits, including 16 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs, while driving in 53 runs and scoring 34 times. Lalli's 53 RBI led the team and was the second most in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), his seven homers were third in the conference, and his 59 hits and 16 doubles were good for fourth most. He also led Mitchell and ranked third in the GNAC with 100 total bases and 25 extra base hits. Lalli hit safely in 35 of 43 games for the Mariners and recorded multiple hits on 15 occasions, including eight games where he collected three or more hits.
Lalli was also named to the GNAC All-Conference First Team and landed on the D3baseball.com All-Region Region 1 First Team.
Chris Gibbs flourished during his third spring in New London, making 14 appearances, including 13 starts, while posting a 10-2 record with a 3.15 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 80 innings of work. The 10 wins led the GNAC and also tied for fourth most in the nation at the Division III level. The junior ranked first in the conference in starts and innings pitched, while his 73 strikeouts were third most and his 1.29 WHIP was good for seventh. Across five GNAC appearances, Gibbs only upped his game, going 4-0 with one save and a 2.83 ERA in 28.2 innings of work. The right handed pitcher became more dominant when the regular season ended, making three starts across the GNAC Tournament and the NCAA Regional Round, delivering a 3-0 record with one complete game and a 2.25 ERA, with 26 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Gibbs was also named to the GNAC All-Conference Second Team.
Varney did a little bit of everything during his senior season with the Mariners, making 19 appearances on the mound, including eight starts, while posting a 5-1 record with four saves and a 2.93 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 70.2 innings of work. The hard throwing right hander finished second in the GNAC with a 1.10 WHIP, was third in ERA, tied for third in saves, tied for fourth in strikeouts, and was fifth in wins. Across seven appearances and 29.2 innings against conference opponents, Varney was a matchup nightmare, going 2-0 with one save and a 1.52 ERA. The senior was also responsible for two of the biggest wins of the season for Mitchell, tossing a complete game against Johnson & Wales to secure the GNAC Championship, then dazzling with a complete game one-hitter in the Babson Park Regional, leading the Mariners to victory over nationally ranked Salisbury University. In four postseason appearances, Varney went 3-0 with two complete games and a 3.65 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
Varney was also named to the GNAC All-Conference Second Team.
The Mariners finished the 2024 season with an overall record of 34-13, including a 14-2 mark in conference play en route to the GNAC Championship during their first year in the league. Mitchell earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, where they went 2-2 at the Babson Park Regional, losing in the seventh and final game to Salisbury.
The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-America teams will be announced the evening of Thursday, May 30th immediately following the Opening Ceremony at the 2024 NCAA Div. III World Series in Eastlake, Ohio. Only First Team All-Region selections are eligible for All-America honors.
The ABCA, founded in 1945, is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 41 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel Baseball.
Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is an innovative manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods worldwide. Founded in 1887, Rawlings is an authentic global sports brand, trusted by generations of athletes of all skill levels. Rawlings' unparalleled quality and expert craftsmanship are the fundamental reasons why more professional athletes, national governing bodies and sports leagues choose Rawlings. Rawlings is the Official Ball Supplier and Batting Helmet of Major League Baseball®, the official baseball of Minor League Baseball™ and the NCAA®, and an approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®.
