MARSHALL, Minn. – USC Aiken junior Nick Aranas was named to the 2010 NCAA Division II Daktronics All-America Baseball first team as a designated hitter on Friday, May 21, 2010.

A total of 45 student-athletes, representing 33 institutions were named to either the first, second or third team All-America squad, while 18 were named honorable mention. Members of the NCAA Division II College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selected the All-America teams.

The All-America award is the first of Aranas' career. It is his fourth postseason accolade in total as Aranas was a NCAA Division II Daktronics All-Southeast Region first team member, a NCAA Division II NCBWA All-Southeast Region second team selection and a Peach Belt Conference first team choice.

Aranas finished the regular season leading the Pacers with a .415 (83-for-200) batting average. The batting average is the third-best in the Peach Belt Conference.

In total, the Lexington, S.C. native finished the 2010 season in the top 15 in the PBC in six different categories.

Aranas was second-best among all Pacers in 2010 with 53 RBIs and 46 runs scored. He was second on the squad in total bases over the course of the year as well with 129.

Aranas slugged a team second-best .645 and had a team-high on-base percentage of .481. Aranas captured a team-high 29 multiple hit games in 2010, including 21 two-hit games. He was second on the squad in multiple RBI games with 14. He was also second on the squad with 25 extra-base knocks. He had a team-high tying 13 doubles to go along with three triples and nine home runs.

The Lexington High School product owned the team season-high hitting streak, securing a hit in 14 consecutive games at one point during the regular season.

Senior outfielder Bryan Fogle (Erskine) and junior pitcher Hayden Simpson (Southern Arkansas) earned the Ron Lenz Player and Pitcher of the Year awards.

Fogle finished the season batting .430 (96 for 223) with 28 home runs, 23 doubles and 103 RBIs, while racking up a .910 slugging percentage in leading his team to the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament. As of May 18, he leads in country in home runs, total bases and RBIs, while earlier this season he broke the NCAA career records for home runs (73), RBIs (310) and total bases (630).

Simpson completed the season with a record of 13-1 with a 1.81 ERA in 99.1 innings. He started 15 games with six complete games and three shutouts, while compiling 131 strikeouts and limiting opponents to hit just .201. As of May 18, he ranks second in the country in wins, second in strikeouts and 10th in ERA.

Joining Aranas, Fogle and Simpson on the All-America first team include: Pat Trettel (C, Seton Hill), Jason Carr (1B, New Mexico Highlands), Greyson Schram (2B, Concord), Cannon Lester (3B, Southern Arkansas), Paul Bingham (SS, Indiana (Pa.), Brandon Decker (OF, Valdosta State (Ga.), Chance Tuttle (OF, Central Missouri), Brendon Furrow (UT, Concordia, St. Paul), Joe Holtmeyer (P, Nebraska-Omaha), Jose Macias (P, Franklin Pierce (N.H.), Brooks Martin (P, Central Missouri) and Heath Wyatt (RP, Southeastern Oklahoma State).

2010 Daktronics NCAA Division II Baseball AllAmerica Teams
Player of the Year: Bryan Fogle, Sr., Erskine (S.C.)
Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Simpson, Jr., Southern Arkansas

        FIRST TEAM

       SECOND TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION

Aaron Bauman (OF, CaliforniaSan Diego), Patrick Brady (UT, Bellarmine), David Bustillos (2B, New Mexico Highlands), William Buzhardt (SP, Erskine), Chris Casazza (3B, Tarleton State), Adam DeLaGarza (SS, West Texas A&M), Nick DeBiasse (1B, Central Missouri), David Deminsky (SP, St Cloud State), Patrick Donahue (UT, Tampa), Tyler Erickson (SS, Minnesota Duluth), Patrick Farrell (C, Regis), Ben Graham (SP, Emporia State), Cody Grice (OF, Grand Valley State), Tyler Lundy (OF, NebraskaOmaha), Ben Minard (DH, Ashland), Jordan Smith (OF, St. Cloud State), Evan Stobbs (RP, Tampa), Chris Zbin (SP, Southern Connecticut State)