University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Picked Fourth in Conference USA Preseason Poll
1/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss baseball team has been chosen to finish fourth in Conference USA this spring in a vote conducted by the league's 13 coaches and released Wednesday morning from the Irving, Texas office.
Junior outfielder Mason Robbins (Leakesville, Miss.) was the only Golden Eagle picked to the preseason all-conference team by the coaches, after finished his 2013 campaign with a .317 batting average, two home runs and 40 RBI to go along with a second-team all-conference nod last spring.
Rice collected 12 of the league's 13 first-place votes to be picked finished first, followed by league newcomer Florida Atlantic, East Carolina, the Golden Eagles, Tulane (which received the only other first-place vote), FIU, UTSA, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion, UAB, Marshall and Louisiana Tech.
ECU designated hitter/pitcher Drew Reynolds and FIU catcher Aramis Garcia collected the preseason Co-Player of the Year nods, while Rice junior right-hander Zech Lemond was voted preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The top eight teams will make the league's postseason tournament set to be held at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field from May 21-25. Tickets for the 2014 Southern Miss baseball season can be purchased by going online at SouthernMissTickets.com, by phone at 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or in person at the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office weekdays from 8 a.m., until 5 p.m.
| 2014 Preseson Baseball Awards | |
| (as selected by C-USA's head coaches) | |
| Predicted Order of Finish | |
| Place | School |
| 1. | Rice (12) |
| 2. | Florida Atlantic |
| 3. | East Carolina |
| 4. | Southern Miss |
| 5. | Tulane (1) |
| 6. | FIU |
| 7. | UTSA |
| 8. | Charlotte |
| 9. | Middle Tennessee |
| 10. | Old Dominion |
| 11. | UAB |
| 12. | Marshall |
| 13. | Louisiana Tech |
| (first place votes in parentheses) | |
| Co-Players of the Year | |||
| Name | School | Class | Position(s) |
| Drew Reynolds | East Carolina | Senior | DH/RHP |
| Aramis Garcia | FIU | Junior | Catcher |
| Pitcher of the Year | |||
| Name | School | Class | Position(s) |
| Zech Lemond | Rice | Junior | Right-hander |
| All-Conference Team | |||
| Position | Name | Class | School |
| P | Austin Gomber | Jr. | Florida Atlantic |
| P | Jeff Hoffman | Jr. | East Carolina |
| P | Jordan Stephens | Jr. | Rice |
| RP | Zech Lemond | Jr. | Rice |
| C | Aramis Garcia | Jr. | FIU |
| IF | Brad Elwood | Jr. | Charlotte |
| IF | Shane Hoelscher | Sr. | Rice |
| IF | R.J. Perucki | Sr. | UTSA |
| IF | Edwin Rios | So. | FIU |
| OF | Mike Aquino | Sr. | Rice |
| OF | Josh Eldridge | Jr. | Old Dominion |
| OF | Ryan Stephens | Sr. | Middle Tennessee |
| OF | Mason Robbins | Jr. | Southern Miss |
| DH/UT | Drew Reynolds | Sr. | East Carolina |
