ATLANTA, Ga. (April 13, 2026) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) has announced its baseball weekly honors, released by the league office on Monday.
Frank Derner (Maryville) was named
Player of the Week, while
Layne Ayers (Piedmont) earned
Pitcher of the Week honors.
Masin Hall (Maryville) was also tabbed
Rookie of the Week.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Frank Derner, Maryville
First Baseman | Senior | St. Jacob, Ill.
Frank Derner powered Maryville to a 3-1 week with an outstanding all-around performance at the plate and in the field. The senior batted .429 (6-for-14), driving in a team-high eight RBI while scoring five runs and recording three doubles. At the plate he drew three walks and was hit by four pitches to post a .619 on-base percentage. Defensively, Derner finished with a perfect fielding percentage, 34 putouts, and contributing to three double plays.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Layne Ayers, Piedmont
Pitcher | Sophomore | Covington, Ga.
Layne Ayers delivered a dominant outing on the mound, leading Piedmont to a key game-one victory in a doubleheader against Covenant. The sophomore threw seven innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits while striking out 11. Ayers’ performance not only secured the win but also preserved the Lions’ bullpen for the remainder of the series.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Masin Hall, Maryville
Infielder | Freshman | Mount Juliet, Tenn.
Masin Hall continued his strong freshman campaign with a well-rounded performance during the week. The infielder batted .375 (6-for-16), scoring six runs while adding a triple and three RBI. Hall demonstrated exceptional plate discipline, drawing six walks without a strikeout, and was a perfect 2-for-2 on stolen base attempts. Defensively, he added eight putouts and 11 assists, leading the Scots to a 3-1 week.
OTHER PLAYERS NOMINATED
| PLAYER OF THE WEEK |
Andrew Billington (Asbury); Hayden Roberts (Belhaven); Daniel Bell (Covenant); Cole Ellis (Piedmont) |
| PITCHER OF THE WEEK |
John Wade (Belhaven); Zach Barrett (Covenant); Kaden Wimsatt (Maryville) |
| ROOKIE OF THE WEEK |
Edison Burke (Asbury); Gavin Brint (Belhaven); Daniel Counts (Covenant) |
PAST WEEKLY HONORS
Week 9
Week 8
Week 7
Week 6
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.