University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Niko Mazza and Billy Oldham Earn Preseason SBC Honors; Team Picked to Finish 2nd
2/7/2024 2:01:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss starting pitchers Niko Mazza and Billy Oldham earned selection to the 2024 Sun Belt Conference preseason team, while the Golden Eagles were picked second in the preseason poll in a vote by all 14 league schools and released Wednesday afternoon.
Mazza, a junior from Madison, Miss., pitched in 21 games (13 starts) and posted a 5-2 record with two saves to go along with a 4.34 ERA a season ago. The right-hander fanned 89 and walked 46 over 74 2/3 innings and finished fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in opponents' batting average (.236), ninth in ERA and 11th in innings pitched. He also earned an SBC Pitcher of the Week nod after a seven-inning stint against Valparaiso (3/12) in which he fanned a career-high 11 batters and allowed a run on three hits with two walks in a victory.
Mazza, who also garnered preseason Pitcher of the Year nod by D1Baseball.com, went at least five innings in seven starts during the year and whiffed at least five hitters in 10 appearances.
Oldham, a senior from Brookfield, Conn., appeared in 18 games and made 13 starts for the Golden Eagles in his first season in 2023. The right-hander posted an 8-3 record with a 4.21 ERA and a save. He fanned 89 and walked 23 over 77 innings, while ranking second in opponents' batting average (.221), tied third for strikeouts looking (26), fifth in fewest walks allowed (23), tied for sixth in wins, seven in ERA, tied for eighth in strikeouts, and ninth in innings pitched among the SBC leaders.
Oldham had five or more strikeouts in 10 outings, including a season-high nine in first start in which he no-hit New Orleans (2/21) over five innings for his first win.
Coastal Carolina got 12 of the 14 first-place votes to be picked to win the regular season crown, while the Golden Eagles were chosen second followed by Troy, Louisiana, and Texas State to round out the top five. Old Dominion was picked sixth and was followed by Georgia Southern, South Alabama, App State, James Madison, Georgia State, Marshall, ULM and Arkansas State to complete the league finishers.
Shortstop Kyle DeBarge of Louisiana earned Preseason Player of the Year, while Troy's Grayson Stewart garnered Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Golden Eagles open their 2024 season next Friday, Feb. 16, against Marist at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
The Sun Belt preseason teams and poll are listed below:
Preseason Player of the Year
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Niko Mazza, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Madison, Miss.)
Billy Oldham, Southern Miss (Sr., SP – Brookfield, Conn.)
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Noah Manning, Troy (Sr., RP – Minooka, Ill.)
Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (So., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)
Zack Beach, Coastal Carolina (Gr., 1B – Mechanicsville, Va.)
Chase Mora, Texas State (So., 2B – Tomball, Texas)
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
CJ Boyd, App State (Sr., OF – Lewisville, N.C.)
Fenwick Trimble, James Madison (Jr., OF – Virginia Beach, Va.)
Shane Lewis, Troy (Jr., OF – Vicksburg, Miss.)
Derek Bender, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DH – Murrells Inlet, S.C.)
Sam Blancato, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., UT – Marietta, Ga.)
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Coastal Carolina (12) – 193
2. Southern Miss – 173
3. Troy – 164
4. Louisiana (2) – 159
5. Texas State – 138
6. Old Dominion – 115
7. Georgia Southern – 99
8. South Alabama – 98
9. App State – 82
10. James Madison – 79
11. Georgia State – 78
12. Marshall – 34
13. ULM – 33
14. Arkansas State – 25
Mazza, a junior from Madison, Miss., pitched in 21 games (13 starts) and posted a 5-2 record with two saves to go along with a 4.34 ERA a season ago. The right-hander fanned 89 and walked 46 over 74 2/3 innings and finished fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in opponents' batting average (.236), ninth in ERA and 11th in innings pitched. He also earned an SBC Pitcher of the Week nod after a seven-inning stint against Valparaiso (3/12) in which he fanned a career-high 11 batters and allowed a run on three hits with two walks in a victory.
Mazza, who also garnered preseason Pitcher of the Year nod by D1Baseball.com, went at least five innings in seven starts during the year and whiffed at least five hitters in 10 appearances.
Oldham, a senior from Brookfield, Conn., appeared in 18 games and made 13 starts for the Golden Eagles in his first season in 2023. The right-hander posted an 8-3 record with a 4.21 ERA and a save. He fanned 89 and walked 23 over 77 innings, while ranking second in opponents' batting average (.221), tied third for strikeouts looking (26), fifth in fewest walks allowed (23), tied for sixth in wins, seven in ERA, tied for eighth in strikeouts, and ninth in innings pitched among the SBC leaders.
Oldham had five or more strikeouts in 10 outings, including a season-high nine in first start in which he no-hit New Orleans (2/21) over five innings for his first win.
Coastal Carolina got 12 of the 14 first-place votes to be picked to win the regular season crown, while the Golden Eagles were chosen second followed by Troy, Louisiana, and Texas State to round out the top five. Old Dominion was picked sixth and was followed by Georgia Southern, South Alabama, App State, James Madison, Georgia State, Marshall, ULM and Arkansas State to complete the league finishers.
Shortstop Kyle DeBarge of Louisiana earned Preseason Player of the Year, while Troy's Grayson Stewart garnered Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Golden Eagles open their 2024 season next Friday, Feb. 16, against Marist at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
The Sun Belt preseason teams and poll are listed below:
Preseason Player of the Year
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Niko Mazza, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Madison, Miss.)
Billy Oldham, Southern Miss (Sr., SP – Brookfield, Conn.)
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Noah Manning, Troy (Sr., RP – Minooka, Ill.)
Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (So., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)
Zack Beach, Coastal Carolina (Gr., 1B – Mechanicsville, Va.)
Chase Mora, Texas State (So., 2B – Tomball, Texas)
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
CJ Boyd, App State (Sr., OF – Lewisville, N.C.)
Fenwick Trimble, James Madison (Jr., OF – Virginia Beach, Va.)
Shane Lewis, Troy (Jr., OF – Vicksburg, Miss.)
Derek Bender, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DH – Murrells Inlet, S.C.)
Sam Blancato, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., UT – Marietta, Ga.)
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Coastal Carolina (12) – 193
2. Southern Miss – 173
3. Troy – 164
4. Louisiana (2) – 159
5. Texas State – 138
6. Old Dominion – 115
7. Georgia Southern – 99
8. South Alabama – 98
9. App State – 82
10. James Madison – 79
11. Georgia State – 78
12. Marshall – 34
13. ULM – 33
14. Arkansas State – 25
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballTrue Grit: Final Episode
Friday, October 20
Episode 1: War Damn Golden Eagle
Tuesday, August 22
Episode 5: Battle for the Belt
Thursday, August 17
Episode 4: Battle for the Belt
Saturday, August 12