UNCG tabbed fifth and seventh; Edwards named first-team
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG was picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference by the media and seventh by the head coaches in the league, while Trevor Edwards was tabbed to the preseason all-conference first-team, the league office announced on Wednesday. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
College of Charleston narrowly edged out Georgia Southern to finish in first place in the coaches poll. CofC earned six first-place votes and 93 points total compared to four first-place votes and 92 points for the Eagles. Samford earned the final first-place vote and 83 points to come in third ahead of Elon's 76 points and Appalachian State's 62 points. Western Carolina was picked to finish in sixth with 51 points just ahead of the Spartans' 50 points. The Citadel, Furman, Wofford and Davidson rounded out the coaches poll.
In the media poll, Georgia Southern was pick to win the SoCon after taking 20 of the 25 first-place votes to claim 269 points. The Eagles finished ahead of College of Charleston (246 points), Elon (220) and Samford (198). UNCG was predicted to finish in fifth place after garnering 150 votes, just one ahead of Appalachian State. Western Carolina and The Citadel were picked to finish seventh and eighth, respectively, followed by Furman, Wofford and Davidson.
Edwards, who was a first-team selection by the coaches and a second-team selection by the media last season, was the lone representative for the Spartans on the preseason team. Last season, Edwards hit .318 as a catcher and first baseman for the Spartans, while hitting a team-high eight home runs. He also had a team-high in RBI (51) and doubles (18) and also scored 36 runs.
Reigning SoCon Player of the Year Victor Roache from Georgia Southern is predicted to win the same honor this season and teammate Chris Beck was tabbed as the preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Spartans will kick off their on Feb. 17 as they host Delaware State for a three-game series.
AGATE
2012 SoCon Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team
Player of the Year – Victor Roache, Jr., OF, Georgia Southern
Pitcher of the Year – Chris Beck, Jr., RHP, Georgia Southern
First Team
SP Chris Beck, Georgia Southern
SP Christian Powell, College of Charleston
RP Lex Rutledge, Samford
C Trevor Edwards, UNCG
1B Saxon Butler, Samford
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
SS Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
3B Drew DeKerlegand, The Citadel
OF Victor Roache, Georgia Southern
OF Daniel Aldrich, College of Charleston
OF Phillip Ervin, Samford
DH Daniel Kassouf, Appalachian State
Second Team
SP Ryan Arrowood, Appalachian State
SP Josh Renfro, College of Charleston
RP David Port, Appalachian State
C Alex Swim, Elon
1B Konstantine Diamaduros, Wofford
2B Sebastian Gomez, Elon
SS Aaron Attaway, Western Carolina
3B Zack Briggs, Appalachian State
3B (tie) Alex Abrams, Furman
OF Marty Gantt, College of Charleston
OF Nick Orvin, The Citadel
OF Tyler Zupcic, Appalachian State
DH Taylor Johnson, Furman
2012 SoCon Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Place School (First) Points
1. College of Charleston (6) 93
2. Georgia Southern (4) 92
3. Samford (1) 83
4. Elon 76
5. Appalachian State 62
6. Western Carolina 51
7. UNCG 50
8. The Citadel 33
9. Furman 32
10. Wofford 18
11. Davidson 15
2012 SoCon Baseball Preseason Media Poll
Place School (First) Points
1. Georgia Southern (20) 269
2. College of Charleston (3) 246
3. Elon (2) 220
4. Samford 198
5. UNCG 150
6. Appalachian State 149
7. Western Carolina 130
8. The Citadel 112
9. Furman 86
10. Wofford 55
11. Davidson 35
- UNCG -