2011 Sun Belt Conference Champions

What a finish to an unbelievable 2011 regular season in Mobile. The Trojans found a way to seal the regular season conference championship on the last day of the season with an improbable 10-7 win on the road. Tyson Workman stole the show with an incredible pitching effort that included his longest outing of his career with the highest pitch count of his career. He was exhausted in the heat of the day and the intensity of the game but kept competing until the last out was secured in deep center field by freshman Ali Knowles. That set off a celebration by a group of players that earned our first conference title since 2006.

This group of players has continued to show a steady resolve that has led them to this moment and allowed them to secure the championship they so desperately coveted from the first day of fall practice. For seniors Adam Bryant, Drew Hull and Daniel Peterson, all four year players in our program, their look of accomplishment after the game yesterday was something a coach will always remember. In particular, we were all proud that Drew was in Mobile as he was not active due to his surgery but was such a HUGE part of our team and our success this season. He will forever be known as a champion along with all of the 2011 Trojans. It's hard to truly quantify what Adam Bryant means to me personally and to this team. He will go down as one of the best players to ever wear the Trojan uniform and for him to lead our team to the championship on his 22nd birthday will be a cherished memory for many years to come.

Each player on the roster had their bright moments throughout the season in the 40-win season and the championship. Tyler Ray started the year as the Friday night starter and his work led us to win the first game of each series for 13 weeks in a row, which has never been done before here at Troy. His regular season will long be remembered by all who follow the Trojans. The starting pitching was dominant early in the season as the bullpen and offense tried to find their groove. Down the stretch, the offense began to produce more consistently and the bullpen, led by Nate Hill and Workman, settled into their roles and carried the team.

As a former Trojan, it gives me great pride to see our players celebrate their achievements because I see their hard work and commitment each and every day. They earned this championship starting in the fall, fought off one of the best teams in the country playing their best baseball of the season in FIU to secure the title and deserve to be called CHAMPIONS! It's hard to explain how fortunate I am to be involved with the program I played for, work for such a quality person in Coach Pierce and be around the type of players we have here in Troy. It is with tremendous pride that we always say GO TROJANS!