Former Southern Miss Standout Cargill Receives Leadership Award

Collin Cargill earned plenty of accolades in his baseball career at The University of Southern Mississippi, but the final honor presented to him as a Golden Eagle might be the most rewarding.

Cargill, a former Hattiesburg High School star, was presented the inaugural Col. Tyler Fletcher Leadership Award following the 2011 season. The award will be given annually to the player who demonstrates leadership both on the field and in the community. Fletcher is a longtime supporter of the Southern Miss program and the university as a whole.

“This award is a reflection on my whole career and what I was trying to do here,” said Cargill, who just completed his first minor league assignment as a member of the Florida Marlins' organization. “I tried to become what Coach (Scott) Berry wanted me to be for this team as well as Coach (Corky) Palmer during the first three years that I was here. This award reflects what I tried to achieve and I am very proud of it.”

Cargill fashioned a remarkable career as a relief pitcher for the Southern Miss baseball team, serving as the Golden Eagles' top closer throughout most of his time with the program. His career statistics include a 19-10 record with a 2.93 earned run average and 30 saves. In 168.2 innings pitched, he gave up 148 hits, while striking out 140 and walking 93.

Berry recently completed his second season as the Golden Eagles' head coach, leading the squad to its ninth consecutive postseason appearance. Berry noted that the leadership award encompasses much more than on-the-field performance with an emphasis on strength of character and values.

“Collins is most deserving of this award,” said Berry. “Not only was he a major contributor in the success of the 2011 team, but his desire to be the best and encourage others to meet and exceed their goals was evident. Off the field he represented our program extremely well both as a person and someone who was active in the community.”