Home 2009 Season Coverage2009 Top Players Southland Announces Preseason All-Conference Baseball Teams

Southland Announces Preseason All-Conference Baseball Teams

by Donald J. Boyles
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eams feature four 2008 award winners, including UTSA’s Michael Rockett, the conference player of the year.- Courtesy: Southland.org

UTSA’s Michael Rockett (Courtesy of Southland.org)

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

FRISCO, Texas – UTSA senior Michael Rockett, the 2008 Southland Conference Baseball Player of the Year, highlights a talented list of players on the 2009 preseason all-conference teams, the league office announced Wednesday in conjunction with the release of the preseason polls.

A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Rockett led a powerful UTSA lineup to its second consecutive regular-season title in 2008. A 2008 second-team All-American, Rockett was the first conference player of the year at UTSA since 2002. A constant threat at the plate, Rockett pounded out a .360 batting average, which ranked ninth in the conference. He also finished third in the league in hits (89) and runs batted in (68).

Joining Rockett on the preseason teams are 2008 conference award winners Paul Goldschmidt of Texas State, Stephen Flora of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Michael Choice of UT Arlington.

Goldschmidt, the 2008 Southland Hitter of the Year, is the first Bobcat to claim the league’s top batting honor since 1992. He belted out a league-best 17 home runs and second-place totals in RBI (69), slugging percentage (.689) and total bases (157). A native of The Woodlands, Texas, he finished the year with a .360 batting average, which ranked 10th in the league. He tied for fifth with 20 doubles.

Flora, an Austin, Texas, native, was the 2008 newcomer of the year after a stellar season behind the plate at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. An anchor in the lineup for the Islanders, Flora’s .380 batting average tied for the top spot in the league. In addition to his 73 hits and 108 total bases, his .563 slugging percentage and .433 on-base percentage ranked 13th.

Choice, the league’s freshman of the year, ranked third in the league last season with a .378 batting average. A Mansfield, Texas, native, Choice started 50 games for the Mavs and led the team in homeruns (seven), RBI (51) and total bases (110).

Texas State leads all teams with five preseason all-conference honorees, including three first-team members. UTSA had four players earn preseason all-conference recognition, while Sam Houston State, Northwestern State and Lamar each had three selections.

Players who earned first- and second-team all-conference honors following the 2008 season automatically receive preseason honors. Third-team postseason selections move into vacated positions on the first and second preseason teams. The remaining spots are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

2009 Preseason All-Southland Conference Baseball Teams

FIRST TEAM

1B

Paul Goldschmidt*

Texas State

Jr.

The Woodlands, Texas

2B

Adam Witek*

Texas State

Sr.

Schertz, Texas

3B

Seth Hammock*

Sam Houston State

Sr.

Corpus Christi, Texas

SS

Ty Summerlin*

Southeastern Louisiana

Sr.

Vancleave, Miss.

C

Stephen Flora*

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Sr.

Austin, Texas

DH

Justin O’Neal*

Northwestern State

Sr.

Ruston, La.

OF

Michael Rockett*

UTSA

Sr.

Sugarland, Texas

OF

Michael Choice*

UT Arlington

So.

Mansfield, Texas

OF

Tyler Link*

Lamar

Sr.

Houston, Texas

P

Zach Tritz*

Texas State

Sr.

Spring, Texas

P

Zach Calhoon*

UTSA

Jr.

Spring, Texas

P

Jimmy Heard*

Northwestern State

Sr.

Bossier City, Texas

SECOND TEAM

1B

Trey Hernandez

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

So.

Robstown, Texas

2B

Josh Huffman*

Central Arkansas

Sr.

Carrollton, Texas

3B

Lance Loftin*

Texas State

Sr.

Spring, Texas

SS

Shon Landry

McNeese State

Sr.

Orange, Texas

C

Taylor Freeman*

McNeese State

Jr.

Carney, Okla.

DH

Chase Lyles**

Northwestern State

Jr.

Plain Dealing, La.

DH

Chris Dunkin**

Lamar

Sr.

LaPorte, Texas

OF

Steven Tucker

Lamar

Sr.

Grand Prairie, Texas

OF

Aaron Powell

UTSA

Sr.

Midland, Texas

OF

Laurn Randell

Texas State

Jr.

Austin, Texas

P

Dallas Gallant

Sam Houston State

So.

Trinity, Texas

P

Ryan Collins

Southeastern Louisiana

Sr.

Chalmette, La.

P

Ryan Proudfoot

UTSA

Jr.

Lindale, Texas

* Indicates automatic selection as 2008 all-conference selection

** An extra second-team DH was selected based on tie in voting process.

– www.Southland.org –

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