Fayetteville, N.C. - The 2013-14 season serves as the 50th for the USA South Athletic Conference. In an effort to relive 50 Years of great student-athlete performances, each current league institution was given the opportunity to submit names of student-athletes who competed within the Conference and excelled not only on their campuses, but in the Conference as a whole. The league has continued its recognition of these teams with the sport of baseball, and Wesleyan is proud to have placed 22 Bishop players on the squad.

The sport of baseball begin in the conference in 1969 as a regular season championship was awarded, and in 1994, the first league tournament was conducted. The conference has consistently been one of the nation's best Division III baseball leagues, having sent numerous teams to the NCAA Division III World Series.

N.C. Wesleyan has played a key role in the conference's baseball success, capturing the league's only two National Championships in 1989 and 1999. In 45 years of DIAC/USAS play, the Battling Bishops have secured 17 regular season titles, 7 tournament crowns, 21 NCAA Tournament berths and 12 World Series appearances.

Below are the names and a brief summary of accolades for those Battling Bishops named to the 50th Anniversary Team. On behalf of the Department of Athletics, we congratulate each of these men on this noteworthy recognition.

• Greg Clark (All-American, All-Conference, NCWC & USAS Hall of Fame, NCAA record for stolen bases, retired jersey)
• Carl Payne (Two-Time All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, NCWC career wins record, retired jersey)
• Steve Durelli (Two-Time All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, NCWC season record for homeruns)
• Charlie Simpson (All-American, All-Conference, USA South & NCWC career record for homeruns)
• Paul Prisco (Two-Time All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame)
• Frankie Moore (Two-time All-American, All-Conference, NCWC career record for winning percentage)
• Rusty Dail (All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, NCWC Top-Five all-time in at-bats, hits, and runs scored)
• James Anderson (All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, 1989 World Series MVP)
• Mark Silletti (All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, winning pitcher of '89 Nat'l Championship game)
• Erik Dube (Only All-American on '89 National Championship Team, All-Conference)
• Doug Flowers (Two-Time All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame, NCWC season record for RBIs)
• Eric Jarman (First Team All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame)
• Rich McNee (All-American, All-Conference, NCWC Hall of Fame)
• Tom D'Aquila (Two-Time All-American, '93 Player of the Year, '93 DIII National Player of the Year)
• Chris Bryant (Two-Time All-American, '94 & '95 Player of the Year, NCWC career record for batting average)
• Jeremy Stewart (All-American, All-Conference, NCWC career records for doubles and RBIs)
• Jon Rardin (First Team All-American, All-American, NCWC season records for wins and win percentage)
• Jamie Whiting (All-Conference, NCWC career record for runs scored, retired jersey)
• Sean Fleming (All-Conference, NCWC career record for strikeouts, winning pitcher of '99 Nat'l Championship game)
• Jayson Sigley (Only All-American on '99 National Championship Team, All-Conference)
• Blake Rice (All-American, '06 Pitcher of the Year, Don Scalf Award, NCWC career record for complete games)
• Matt Smith (Two-Time All-American, '05 Rookie of the Year, NCWC career record for hits)

To view the complete USA South 50th Anniversary Team in baseball, please click HERE!

To view more ways the USA South is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, please click HERE!