Baber Earns NJCAA Region VIII Defensive Player of the Year

--Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona State College sophomore Dustin Baber was voted the NJCAA Region VIII Defensive Player of the Year at the FCSAA Coaches Meeting at the state tournament in Lakeland, FL.

Baber, a shortstop from Winter Haven High School, was also named the Defensive Player of the Year for the Mid-Florida Conference. He will be the Region VIII Nominee for the national NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year award. That award will be handed out at the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, CO at the end of the month of May. 

Baber posted a .973 fielding percentage in 40 games with 184 total chances and committing only 5 errors. He lead the team in assists (111) and double plays turned (13). 

HBC Tim Touma, "The thing that has seperated Dustin from past shortstops I have coached is his passion for defense. He would rather take ground balls than batting practice. It is special because there is only one player selected in the state of Florida for this award."

Baber will be attending North Carolina A&T State University following graduation from Daytona State College.