Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
BREVARD, N.C. – The USA South Athletic Conference has released the 2019 Preseason Baseball Coaches' Poll, pegging the Brevard College Tornados to finish 12th.
Methodist University was atop the 2019 USA South Athletic Conference Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll. The Monarchs are the defending USA South regular season champions after producing a 14-3 Conference record.
Methodist collected six first-place votes to go along with 137 points to place first in the poll. LaGrange College, the two-time defending USA South Tournament champions, and Piedmont College finished in a tie for second place with 130 points each as the Panthers garnered four first-place votes while the Lions grabbed the final three first-place votes.
The USA South welcomed Brevard College and Pfeiffer University last season. These two institutions are currently reclassifying from NCAA Division II status but this year are included in the preseason poll and eligible for regular season championship honors. Brevard and Pfeiffer still will not be eligible for USA South or NCAA Tournament play until full DIII membership is established.
The Tornados will be eligible for a postseason berth into the ECAC Championships. Brevard College's 2018 Women's Soccer team was awarded a berth into the ECAC Postseason, marking the first time a Brevard College team has made an appearance in the ECAC's Postseason.
Brevard is coming off of a 7-29 campaign in 2018, with five of its wins coming against USA South competition.
Head Coach Sean Walsh brings back his two leading hitters from last season in Ryan Roon and Beau Shealy. Roon carried a team-high 342 batting average, while also leading the Tornados with 41 hits and 23 runs-batted-in. Shealy batted .320 with 32 hits and scored a team-high 20 runs.
The Tornados open their 2019 season at the USA National Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C. with a four-game series against William Peace University on February 8-10. Brevard opens its home slate on Wednesday, February 13 by hosting local mountain school Montreat College at 2 p.m.
|
2019 USA South Coaches Preseason Baseball Poll |
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|
Rank |
Institution (1st Place Votes) |
Pts. |
|
1. |
Methodist^ (6) |
137 |
|
t-2. |
LaGrange# (4) |
130 |
|
t-2. |
Piedmont (3) |
130 |
|
4. |
Maryville |
100 |
|
5. |
Pfeiffer* |
96 |
|
6. |
Huntingdon |
94 |
|
7. |
N.C. Wesleyan |
81 |
|
8. |
Greensboro |
67 |
|
9. |
William Peace |
55 |
|
10. |
Covenant |
54 |
|
11. |
Averett |
32 |
|
12. |
Brevard* |
26 |
|
13. |
Berea |
12 |
|
*Ineligible for USA South Tournament (Div. III Reclassifying Member) |
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To follow all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, go to www.bctornados.com and follow the Tornados on Twitter or Instagram @bctornados, and like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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