Home » Eastern Florida’s Gould, Diaz Earn All-State Baseball Honors

Eastern Florida’s Gould, Diaz Earn All-State Baseball Honors

By  //  May 10, 2014

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“I’m just speechless,” he said. “To be one of the guys to be the best in the state this year it’s an unbelievable honor.” – Christian Diaz

LAKELAND, FLORIDA – Eastern Florida baseball players collected two statewide awards at Thursday’s dinner preceding Friday’s opening of the Florida College System Activities Association/NJCAA Division I Region 8 tournament in Lakeland.

Sophomore shortstop J.J. Gould of Sarasota, Sarasota High was named FCSAA Defensive Player of the Year while teammate and freshman left-fielder Christian Diaz was a first-team All-State selection. Gould, who has committed to continuing his baseball career at NCAA Division I Jacksonville University was previously named FCSAA Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an all-conference second team selection. (EFSC image)
Eastern Florida State College sophomore shortstop J.J. Gould, left, and Christian Diaz were first-team All-State selections.(EFSC image)

Sophomore shortstop J.J. Gould of Sarasota, Sarasota High was named FCSAA Defensive Player of the Year while teammate and freshman left-fielder Christian Diaz was a first-team All-State selection.

Gould, who has committed to continuing his baseball career at NCAA Division I Jacksonville University was previously named FCSAA Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an all-conference second team selection.

Diaz, who is expected to return to the Titans for the 2015 season, was previously named Southern Conference Player of the Year and was an all-conference first-team honoree.

Jeff Tam
Jeff Tam

“They’ve been tremendous for us all year,” Eastern Florida head coach Jeff Tam said of Gould and Diaz. “They’ve done a great job, we’ve said that day in and day out. We are very fortunate to get both of them in the recruiting process.”

Gould was a transfer from NCAA Division I Florida State while Diaz was a walk-on for the Titans.

“As far as the program I think it shows we are heading in the right direction,” Tam said. “We’re getting a better quality player, we’re getting a better quality athlete and person in general. They’re both outstanding kids.”

The awards resonated with Gould and Diaz.

“It’s a big honor,” Gould said. “It means a lot. It’s a big accomplishment playing in a state like Florida with so much talent. As a shortstop it’s something you take a lot of pride in. It’s one of my proudest accomplishments.”

Diaz was humbled.

“I’m just speechless,” he said. “To be one of the guys to be the best in the state this year it’s an unbelievable honor.”