The Sun Belt Conference announced its preseason poll and awards selections on Wednesday afternoon, as voted on by coaches and SIDs around the league. Georgia Southern earned two Preseason All-SBC nods and was selected to finish seventh in the conference.
Sam Blancato earned his first Preseason All-SBC selection at the utility position after setting career-highs in runs (44), hits (59), doubles (12), and RBI (45). He also set a new career-high on on-base pct with .421. On top of his on the field achievements, Blancato was named a 2023 College Sports Communicators All-District team member. Blancato earns the nod at the utility position as he will move to be the primary first baseman in the 2024 campaign, but will continue to see some time in the outfield where he has played since 2022.
Jarrett Brown earns his second-consecutive Preseason All-SBC honor after emerging as a top player for the Eagles in 2023, setting career-highs in hits (52), runs (65), doubles (14), home runs (12), RBI (69), as well as posting career numbers in slugging pct (.529) and on-base pct (.402). His figures in RBI and doubles led the team in those categories. Brown's 69 RBI finished fifth in the Sun Belt standings. The Savannah, Ga., native currently has eight triples in his career, which ties him for seventh all-time in Georgia Southern history.
Georgia Southern was picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll, which was headlined with Coastal Carolina being the overwhelming favorite in the conference with 12 out of 14 first place votes. Louisiana, who was picked to finished fourth, recieved the other two first place votes. The entire Preseason All-SBC team and preseason poll can be viewed below:
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Player of the Year
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
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
