[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of HCC Sports Information

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Community College sophomore shortstop Shane Cooper was recognized on Wednesday for his outstanding defensive season by being named an American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NJCAA Division I Gold Glove winner.

Cooper, a sophomore from O’Fallon, Missouri, became the third Blue Dragon player to earn the national defensive award. He joins Michael Helman, a 2016 winner at second base and Bennett Oliver, a 2014 winner at third base.

Cooper made remarkable strides defensively from his freshman to his sophomore season with the Blue Dragons.

Committing only nine errors in 230 chances at the toughest infield position to maintain a high fielding percentage, Cooper posted a .961 fielding percentage in 2017. He was in on 29 of Hutchinson’s 38 double plays turned.

Cooper trimmed 11 errors off his freshman total of 20 and improved his fielding percentage 41 points from 2016.

Cooper’s defensive effort this season was a big part of the 2017 Blue Dragons posting the second-best team fielding percentage in program history at .960. The team record of .962 was set in Cooper’s freshman season in 2016.

The Blue Dragon shortstop set a Blue Dragon career record for defensive assists with 324 over his two seasons. His 163 assists in 2017 knocked off the 2016 record he set as a freshman with 161 assists.

Cooper also had a tremendous offensive season from the leadoff spot in the batting order. Cooper hit .342 with eight home runs, 24 extra base hits, 78 runs, 51 RBIs, .433 on-base percentage and .530 slugging percentage. Cooper tied for the team lead in walks with 37.

Cooper helped the 2017 Blue Dragons win the Jayhawk West championship, reach a program-high national ranking of No. 3 and tie the team record for wins in a 47-13 season.

Last week, Cooper was the 37th-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers.

 

BLUE DRAGON NJCAA GOLD GLOVE AWARD WINNERS

2017 – Shane Cooper                         Shortstop

2016 – Michael Helman                    2nd base

2014 – Bennett Oliver                        3rd base

 

2017 ABCA/RAWLINGS NJCAA DIVISION I GOLD GLOVE TEAM

P – Rush Hixon                            Central Alabama                 So.

C – Chris Shwarzer                      Andrew College                    So.

1B – Nick Fink                             Georgia Highlands               So.

2B – Ryan Mallison                    Arkansas Baptist                 So

3B – Pikai Winchester                Central Arizona                   So.

SS – Shane Cooper                     Hutchinson                           So.

OF – Devin Bilardello                 Georgia Highlands               So.

OF – Joel Spain                            Cowley                                  So.

OF – Adrian Ramos                    Wallace-Dothan (AL)         Fr.