GREENVILLE, S.C. – Seniors Bobby Dixon and Landen Smith joined rookie Evan McLean on the first team squad, sophomore Darren Bowen and Christian Jayne both logged a spot on the second team, and Ethan Ott was voted as the league's freshman of the year with the release of the 2022 Conference Carolinas Baseball All-Conference Team on Tuesday evening by the league office.
 
In addition to the all-conference honors, catcher Garrett Littleton and second baseman Spencer Faulkner led the way for the Braves on the All-Defensive Team which honors the league's top fielding standout at each position.
 
Tuesday's release marked the fifth-straight year that the program has been represented on the all-conference teams, and the 12^th time in the last 13 seasons that the Black & Gold has sent multiple representatives to all-conference laurels. It is the second all-conference nod in as many seasons for Bowen and Dixon, while Jayne, McLean and Smith each raked in all-league laurels for the first time.
 
Ott joined former standout Trey Jacobs (2018) as the only players in program history to earn league freshman of the year status.
 
A four-year starter for the Braves, Dixon has compiled a .355 (71-for-200) batting average this season to complement 30 extra-base hits (13 home runs), 48 RBI and 50 runs scored. The Clayton product ranks among NCAA Division II leaders in both doubles and hit by pitch (17), and hit .345 (38-for-110) across 30 games against Conference Carolinas opponents. Dixon has also logged a team-best 14 multiple-RBI contests this season, while also turning in 20 multiple-hit outings. He also scored two or more runs on 14 occasions.
 
Smith has enjoyed a phenomenal season as the go-to option out of the bullpen, and closed out the regular season campaign with a 3-1 record, a 3.05 ERA and seven saves. The Archdale native struck out 74 batters and allowed just 40 hits in 44-1/3 innings pitched during the regular season, and picked up saves against five different Conference Carolinas foes, including two in the series sweep at Francis Marion. He has made 27 relief appearances (5^th NCAA Division II) in 2022, and has limited opponents to a paltry .227 batting average.
 
McLean, a first-year player out of Greenville, posted a 7-1 record and a 2.68 ERA in 10 appearances during the regular season, including a perfect 7-0 mark against Conference Carolinas opponents. McLean made his weekend debut with six shutout innings in UNCP's series sweep at King, and also earned the victory in a 7-5 win over then-No. 5 North Greenville in early April. The righthander tallied quality starts against both King and Chowan, and tallied a season-high seven strikeouts in the upset win over the nationally-ranked Crusaders.
 
Bowen notched nine saves in 16 relief appearances for the Black & Gold through the first two months of the campaign, but moved into the weekend rotation prior to the road series at Mount Olive. He finished the regular season with a 1-2 record, a 5.44 ERA and nine saves, and made headlines right away when he worked the last three innings of UNCP's no-hitter at USC Aiken in the season opener. The St. Pauls product has logged 76 strikeouts in just 44-2/3 innings of work thus far, including a 13-strikeout outing against the Trojans on April 15.
 
Jayne, the everyday starter for the Braves in centerfield, has started in all 49 games this season, while logging a .342 (65-for-190) batting average to go along with 19 extra-base hits (5 HR), 41 RBI and 50 runs scored. A native of Fayetteville, Jayne ranked second on the Black & Gold in both multiple-hit (21) and multiple-RBI (13) contests, while also posting a team-best 18 stolen bases on 24 attempts (.750). He also scored two or more runs in nine outings, including five runs scored in the series finale with both Chowan and Belmont Abbey.
 
Faulkner committed just five errors at second base this season on the way to registering a .967 fielding percentage. The Rolesville product played a part in nine double-play opportunities along the way as well. Littleton committed just two errors behind the plate for the Braves on the way to registering a league-best .995 fielding percentage at the catcher position. The Kenly native also threw out 16 would-be base stealers, including a dozen inside Conference Carolinas play.
 
The second-seeded Braves (36-13) will open up play in the Conference Carolinas Tournament on Thursday when they battle the winner of Wednesday's play-in game between fifth-seeded Erskine (28-21) and eighth-seeded Barton (24-24). Thursday's first round contest has been slated for a 3 p.m. start at Fleming Stadium in Wilson.
 
Ticket information for the 2022 Conference Carolinas Baseball Tournament can be found at ConferenceCarolinas.com/Tickets.