Locals lead Dana College

Staff Reports

Returning all-conference players Kenny Nicoll of Gardnerville and Chad Cooke of Minden are looking to gain some respect for the Dana College baseball team as another season has begun.

Despite returning all but two starters from the defending 2003 Great Plains Athletic Conference regular season championship team, the NAIA program in Nebraska was picked to place just fifth in the conference this year.

"I am very confident we will have a successful season because we have almost our whole team back," coach Chad Gorman said. "The fifth place conference ranking just gives us more motivation."

Nicoll is a returning 2003 first team all-conference choice. The senior shorstop batted .354 for Dana last year. As a pitcher, Nicoll also posted an 0.87 earned run average with a 4-1 record in 10 appearances.

Cooke is a returning all-conference honorable mention choice from 2003 after hitting .291 last year. Among other returning starters is senior Tommy Bond of Gardnerville.

Dana was scheduled to open the season last weekend with four games against Newman University and is scheduled to play four games this weekend against Benedictine College.