UWF, UNA are Top Choices in 2012 GSC Baseball Preseason Poll
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Birmingham, AL—Gulf South Conference baseball fans can expect an exciting season as defending NCAA Champion West Florida and rival North Alabama enter 2012 as GSC Pre-Season Favorites.
UWF and UNA tied for tops in the Coaches’ Poll as each garnered 44 total points. The finish marked the first first-place tie in the pre-season voting since 2000 when UNA shared the top spot with Alabama-Huntsville. West Florida boasted four first-place votes, while North Alabama secured three first-place nods. Traditional power Delta State finished third with 40 total points behind the final first-place vote.
Seven points separated the next three spots. Valdosta State finished fourth via 28 points, followed by West Alabama (26) and Alabama-Huntsville (21). West Georgia (14) and Christian Brothers (seven) rounded out the eight-team poll.
West Florida also enters the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s Top 40 poll, while DSU and UNA collected the No. 32 and No. 38 positions, respectively. North Alabama secured a No. 9 ranking in the College Baseball Lineup Top 30, while UWF came in at No. 19.
Also, the University of New Orleans will be a regular sight on GSC baseball diamonds this spring. The Privateers, who are transitioning towards membership in the GSC, will play a complete conference schedule in 2012 but will not be eligible for the GSC Championship. Last season, playing a Division I schedule, UNO finished 4-50.
2012 GSC BASEBALL PRE-SEASON COACHES’ POLL
|
SCHOOL
|
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
7th
|
Total
|
|
West Florida
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
44
|
|
North Alabama
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
44
|
|
Delta State
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
40
|
|
Valdosta State
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
28
|
|
West Alabama
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
—
|
26
|
|
Alabama-Huntsville
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
4
|
2
|
—
|
21
|
|
West Georgia
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
5
|
1
|
14
|
|
Christian Brothers
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7
|
7
|
NOTE: The Head Coaches voted on this poll. Teams received 7 points for a first place vote, 6 for a second place vote, 5 for third, etc. The Head Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own squads.
2012 GSC BASEBALL PRE-SEASON BASEBALL TEAM
Seven 2011 All-GSC First Team standouts highlight the 15-member 2012 Baseball Pre-Season All-GSC Team. The squad consists of all returning First and Second Team All-GSC members from a year ago.
Overall, North Alabama returned the most players with six, followed by Alabama-Huntsville, Delta State, and West Georgia which each added two. Valdosta State, West Alabama and West Florida rounded out the contingent with one player each.
UWG second baseman Stuart Drew headlines the list of 2011 All-GSC First Teamers after earning First Team All-American accolades in 2010, while finishing second in the Conference in batting average (.429). UAH first baseman Grant DeBruin and outfielder Eric Deese, UNA second baseman Michael Schmidt and third baseman J.P. LaMunyon, UWA outfielder Lardarrius Cole and DSU pitcher Josh Branstetter complete the 2011 First Team All-GSC list.
Eight Second Team returners round out the 2012 Pre-Season Baseball Team. North Alabama led the way with four student-athletes: first baseman Josh Cyr, shortstop Josh Carpenter, designated hitter Jake Sloan and starting pitcher Chad Boughner. Carpenter took home GSC Freshman of the Year laurels last season. Also back from the 2011 Second Team is VSU catcher Christian Glisson, UWG first baseman Andy Marinelli, UWF third baseman Josh Huggins and DSU starting pitcher Aaron Newcomb. Newcomb was tied for first in the league in complete games (seven) a year ago.
|
POS.
|
NAME
|
SCHOOL
|
YEAR
|
HT
|
WT
|
B/T
|
HOMETOWN
|
|
C
|
#Christian Glisson
|
VSU
|
JR
|
5-10
|
202
|
L/R
|
Hahira, GA
|
|
1B
|
!Grant DeBruin
|
UAH
|
JR
|
6-3
|
235
|
R/R
|
Boaz, AL
|
|
1B
|
#Josh Cyr
|
UNA
|
SO
|
6-1
|
250
|
R/R
|
Huntsville, AL
|
|
1B
|
#Andy Marinelli
|
UWG
|
JR
|
6-0
|
200
|
R/R
|
Woodstock, GA
|
|
2B
|
!Michael Schmidt
|
UNA
|
JR
|
5-9
|
150
|
L/R
|
Powder Springs, GA
|
|
2B
|
!Stuart Drew
|
UWG
|
JR
|
5-9
|
162
|
R/R
|
Douglas, GA
|
|
3B
|
!J.P. LaMunyon
|
UNA
|
JR
|
5-11
|
190
|
R/R
|
Leawood, KS
|
|
3B
|
#Josh Huggins
|
UWF
|
SR
|
6-0
|
212
|
R/R
|
Bay Minette, AL
|
|
SS
|
#Josh Carpenter
|
UNA
|
FR
|
6-0
|
170
|
R/R
|
Harvest, AL
|
|
OF
|
!Eric Deese
|
UAH
|
JR
|
6-2
|
180
|
R/R
|
Tuscaloosa, AL
|
|
OF
|
!Ladarrius Cole
|
UWA
|
JR
|
5-9
|
170
|
L/L
|
Shannon, MS
|
|
DH
|
#Jake Sloan
|
UNA
|
JR
|
6-2
|
225
|
L/R
|
Amory, MS
|
|
SP
|
#Aaron Newcomb
|
DSU
|
JR
|
6-3
|
195
|
R/R
|
Centralia, IL
|
|
SP
|
#Chad Boughner
|
UNA
|
SO
|
6-1
|
160
|
R/R
|
Florence, AL
|
|
SP
|
!Josh Branstetter
|
DSU
|
JR
|
5-11
|
186
|
R/R
|
Pensacola, FL
|
NOTE: The 2012 Pre-Season All-GSC Baseball Team consists of all returning players from last year’s First and Second All-GSC Teams; !--2011 First Team All-GSC; #--2011 Second Team All-GSC