Jan. 30, 2008

IRVING, Texas - The University of Memphis baseball was picked to finish seventh in this year's C-USA preseason poll as selected by the league coaches. Senior centerfielder and team co-captain K.K. Chalmers was named to the 2008 Preseason All C-USA team.

Chalmers will highlight a team that returns just three position starters--Chalmers, catcher Chris Kirkland and leftfielder Tyler Huelsing--after losing its entire infield from the 2007 season. The Southaven, Miss., native returns as the leader in batting average (.289), hits (67), runs (58), doubles (15), home runs (7) and RBI (38) after leading the squad with 33 stolen bases a year ago. Chalmers is the program's all-time leader in stolen bases with 89. Kirkland hit .275 with eight double and 25 RBI, while Huelsing hit a stout .345 in 22 starts.

Despite what it lost in the field, Memphis returns an experienced group of pitchers, including getting back three starting pitchers that were lost to season-ending injury early in the 2007 campaign. Juniors Scott McGregor and Matt Yokley will lead the pitching staff. McGregor has pitched in a starting role for three seasons, while Yokley has settled into the closer role. The righthander from Collierville, Tenn. holds both the Tigers' all-time and single-season saves mark with 11 and nine saves, respectively. The Tigers also return Will Hudgens (5-2, 5.17 ERA), Brennon Martin (4-1, 4.73 ERA) and senior Neil Schenk.

Head Coach Daron Schoenrock welcomes a group of 13 talented newcomers, nine of which a freshmen.

Coming off a second straight trip to the College World Series, Rice has been selected as the preseason favorite. Owls junior outfielder/designated hitter Aaron Luna, a preseason All-American, is the Preseason C-USA Player of the Year. Rice hurler Ryan Berry, a national Freshman of the Year selection by Collegiate Baseball last season, was named as the league's preseason Pitcher of the Year.

After spending time ranked No.1 in each of the past two seasons, Rice is ranked among the nation's top 10 in the preseason again this year. The Owls return 18 lettermen, five position starters and six experienced pitchers from last year's 56-14 club and placed a league-high four members on the preseason All-Conference team. In addition to Luna (.315, 15 2B, 13 HR, 66 RBI) and Berry (11-3, 3.01 ERA, 125 K, 34 BB), catcher Adam Zornes (2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI in just 17 starts) and pitcher Cole St.Clair (1.91 ERA, 26 K, 8 BB and 9 saves in 16 appearances), a 2006 All-American, earned All-C-USA recognition.

After placing second in the regular season and tournament last season with a 40-23 overall record, East Carolina was chosen to finish in second place again this spring. The Pirates return 15 lettermen, including eight starters, from last year's NCAA regional team and add 11 newcomers. Of the returning players, ECU brings back three players that earned preseason all-league honors. Senior starter T.J. Hose (6-5, 3.97 ERA, 70 K, 45 BB) is joined by a pair of first team All-C-USA performers in infielder Stephen Batts (.323, 15 2B, 4 3B, 6 HR, 56 RBI), who hit safely in the final 29 games last season, and outfielder Harrison Eldridge (.295, team-leading 19 2B, 6 HR, 28 RBI, team-best 15 SB) on the squad.

Southern Miss, which is coming off a fifth consecutive NCAA appearance and welcomes back 20 letterwinners and seven starters, was picked to finish third according to the league's coaches. Two Golden Eagle infielders, senior first baseman Trey Sutton, who led the team in batting (.368), runs scored (69), doubles (18) and triples (3), while hitting eight homers and driving in 38 runs, is joined by junior shortstop Brian Dozier (.339, 57 runs scored, 17 2B, 4 HR, 28 RBI) in being listed on the preseason All-Conference team.

Tulane, which opens a completely-renovated Turchin Stadium this season, was chosen fourth, just ahead of Houston. The Green Wave is represented on the preseason team by junior righthander Shooter Hunt, who was 6-6 with a 2.62 ERA and 104 strikeouts with just 30 walks in 15 starts last season. The Cougars are led by preseason all-league infielder Jimmy Cesario, a junior who earned the conference's inaugural Newcomer of the Year award last season after batting a team-high .352 with 35 runs scored, 13 doubles, three homers and 35 RBI.

Memphis will begin the 2008 season at 4 p.m. on Feb. 22 when it takes on Seton Hall in the 2008 Service Academies Spring Classic at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn.

2008 PRESEASON BASEBALL COACHES POLL
(as selected by C-USA's head coaches)
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Rank    School (First Place Votes)	Pts.
1.            Rice (8)	80
2.            East Carolina (1)	61
3.            Southern Miss	57
4.            Tulane	52
5.            Houston	38
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aaron Luna, Rice (Junior, Outfielder/Designated Hitter)
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Berry, Rice (Sophomore, Righthander)
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
P	Ryan Berry	So.	Rice
P	T.J. Hose	Sr.	East Carolina
P	Shooter Hunt	Jr.	Tulane
RP	Cole St.Clair	Sr.	Rice
C	Adam Zornes	Sr.	Rice
IF	Stephen Batts	Jr.	East Carolina
IF	Jimmy Cesario	Jr.	Houston
IF	Brian Dozier	Jr.	Southern Miss
IF	Trey Sutton	Sr.	Southern Miss
IF	Kiko Vasquez	Jr.	UCF
OF	Tyson Auer	Sr.	UCF
OF	K.K. Chalmers	Sr.	Memphis
OF	Harrison Eldridge	Sr.	East Carolina
DH	Aaron Luna	Jr.	Rice