News of the Day

Coastal Carolina sophomore pitcher Cody Wheeler, who threw a no-hitter last week against Hawaii, was named the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on Monday. He also earned Big South Pitcher of the Week honors.

Wheeler, who leads the Chanticleers with a 5-0 record and 2.08 ERA, struck out 10 batters and walked three in the first nine-inning no-hitter in coach Gary Gilmore's 14 seasons. He threw 118 pitches in the longest outing of his career. He has won all 11 decisions in his career at Coastal. The National Player of the Week award was the first for a Chanticleer since May 12, 2008 (David Anderson).

Wheeler's heroics couldn't curb Coastal's continued slide in the national polls. The Chants, who have lost three straight games and six of their last eight, fell out of Baseball America's top 25, one week after they were ranked 18th. They are also unranked in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. Coastal fell from 15th to 19th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll; from 20th to 25th in the Rivals.com poll; and from 18th to 25th in the Ping! Baseball poll.

--------------

Coastal Carolina football coach David Bennett has selected Liz Gilland, chairman of the Horry County Council, and Conway Mayor Alys Lawson to serve as honorary coaches during this Saturday's Teal/Black Spring Game.

The game will be played at noon in Brooks Stadium. The entire Coastal roster will split in half, with the winner earning a steak dinner later this spring. Tickets are $5 at the gate. Ticket stubs can then be redeemed for reduced admission into Coastal's 3 p.m. baseball game against Gardner-Webb.

Gilland, a member of the county council since 1994, returned last week from a controversial, taxpayer-funded trip to Dubai. Lawson served as acting mayor for Conway after the death of Greg Martin last September, and won an election last December to become the city's full-time leader.

Coastal will hold its final spring practice before Saturday's game on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. The practice was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved due to the threat of rain.

Wheeler, who leads the Chanticleers with a 5-0 record and 2.08 ERA, struck out 10 batters and walked three in the first nine-inning no-hitter in coach Gary Gilmore's 14 seasons. He threw 118 pitches in the longest outing of his career. He has won all 11 decisions in his career at Coastal. The National Player of the Week award was the first for a Chanticleer since May 12, 2008 (David Anderson).

Wheeler's heroics couldn't curb Coastal's continued slide in the national polls. The Chants, who have lost three straight games and six of their last eight, fell out of Baseball America's top 25, one week after they were ranked 18th. They are also unranked in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. Coastal fell from 15th to 19th in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll; from 20th to 25th in the Rivals.com poll; and from 18th to 25th in the Ping! Baseball poll.

--------------

Coastal Carolina football coach David Bennett has selected Liz Gilland, chairman of the Horry County Council, and Conway Mayor Alys Lawson to serve as honorary coaches during this Saturday's Teal/Black Spring Game.

The game will be played at noon in Brooks Stadium. The entire Coastal roster will split in half, with the winner earning a steak dinner later this spring. Tickets are $5 at the gate. Ticket stubs can then be redeemed for reduced admission into Coastal's 3 p.m. baseball game against Gardner-Webb.

Gilland, a member of the county council since 1994, returned last week from a controversial, taxpayer-funded trip to Dubai. Lawson served as acting mayor for Conway after the death of Greg Martin last September, and won an election last December to become the city's full-time leader.

Coastal will hold its final spring practice before Saturday's game on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. The practice was originally scheduled for Thursday but was moved due to the threat of rain.