SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNC Greensboro was selected to finish eighth in the media poll and ninth in the coaches poll, while catcher Ed Jayjack earned a Preseason All-Southern Conference Second Team nod, the league office announced on Thursday.
Returning regular-season champions Elon was picked to win the league as it received 12 of the 25 first-place votes in the media poll and garnered 253 points. They shared top honors in the coaches' poll as Elon had five of the 11 first-place votes and 91 points. Georgia Southern also had 91 points and received four first-place votes.
College of Charleston shortstop/third baseman Joey Bergman was selected as the preseason player of the year and Elon's Jimmy Reyes was tabbed as the preseason pitcher of the year.
Jayjack, a senior from Dublin, Ohio, hit .343 in 2009 during an injury-shortened season for the Spartans. In 31 games, he hit 21 RBI and scored 18 runs. He also led UNCG with .524 slugging percentage and a .459 on-base percentage.
Following Elon in the media poll, was Georgia Southern with 10 first-place votes and 250 points. College of Charleston was picked third after receiving two first-place votes and 219 points and The Citadel followed with one first-place vote and 213 points. Western Carolina was tabbed fifth with 178 points, while Appalachian State earned 159 points. Furman was in seventh with 103, followed by UNCG (84), Samford (82), Davidson (60) and Wofford (49).
In the coaches' poll, The Citadel claimed two first-place votes and 80 points to take third place behind Elon and Georgia Southern. College of Charleston was in fourth with 76 and Western Carolina and Appalachian State followed with 71 and 50 points, respectively. Samford was in seventh with 40, while Furman (33), UNCG (31), Davidson (24) and Wofford (18) rounded out the poll.
The Spartans kick off their 2010 campaign on Friday Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. against Cleveland State. UNCG will host the Vikings for a three-game set at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE
2010 SoCon Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Place School
(First)
Points
1t. Elon
(5)
91
1t. Georgia Southern
(4)
91
3. The Citadel
(2)
80
4. College of
Charleston
76
5. Western
Carolina
71
6. Appalachian
State
50
7.
Samford
40
8.
Furman
33
9. UNC
Greensboro
31
10.
Davidson
24
11.
Wofford
18
2010 SoCon Baseball Preseason Media Poll
Place School
(First)
Points
1. Elon
(12)
253
2. Georgia Southern
(10)
250
3. College of
Charleston
(2)
219
4. The Citadel
(1)
213
5. Western
Carolina
178
6. Appalachian
State
159
7.
Furman
103
8. UNC
Greensboro
84
9.
Samford
82
10.
Davidson
60
11.
Wofford
49
2010 SoCon Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team
Player of the Year - Joey Bergman, Sr., SS/3B, College of
Charleston
Pitcher of the Year - Jimmy Reyes, Jr., LHP, Elon
First Team
P Jimmy Reyes, Elon
P Matt Talley, The Citadel
RP Thomas Girdwood, Elon
C Mike Melillo, Elon
1B David Towarnicky, Appalachian State
2B Wes Hobson, Appalachian State
SS Joey Bergman, College of Charleston
3B Brian Harrison, Furman
OF Nick Orvin, The Citadel
OF David Schulze, Samford
OF Justin Hilt, Elon
DH Ryan Daniels, College of Charleston
Second Team
P Asher Wojciechowski, The
Citadel
P Matt Murray, Georgia
Southern
RP Drew Mahaffey, The Citadel
C Ed Jayjack, UNC
Greensboro
1B Danny Weiss, Davidson
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
SS Neal Pritchard, Elon
3B A.J. Wirnsberger, Georgia Southern
OF Cole Rakar, College of Charleston
OF Wayne Miller, Samford
OF Harry Austin, Elon
DH Kyle Blackburn, Georgia Southern
- UNCG -