IRVING, Texas – East Carolina has been tabbed the unanimous preseason favorite in the 2021 American Athletic Conference Preseason Baseball Poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Memphis sophomore catcher Hunter Goodman was selected as the conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, while Tulane redshirt junior Braden Olthoff has been picked as the league’s Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
East Carolina was 14-2 last season and has four selections on the Preseason All-Conference Team, including sophomore Connor Nobry, who hit .402 last year, and junior Jake Kuchmaner, was 4-0 with an 0.60 ERA.
UCF went 15-3 in 2020, which included a three-game sweep of No. 8 Auburn. The Knights have two pitchers on the Preseason All-Conference Team, including redshirt sophomore Colton Gordon (3-0, 2.35 ERA, 24 K) and junior reliever Jack Sinclair (3-0, 1.35 ERCA, 20 K).
Tulane was an impressive 15-2 before the season was halted, led by Olthoff, who was 4-0 in four starts with an 0.32 ERA and 47 strikeouts. Olthoff was named a preseason second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. In addition, redshirt junior third baseman Trevor Minder was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Houston recorded a 6-9 record in 2020 against a tough schedule and is led by its leading returning hitter, junior first baseman Ryan Hernandez. Hernandez hit five home runs and drove in 14 runs while hitting .300 and was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Wichita State won its last 12 games to finish 13-2 and is led on the mound by junior pitcher Liam Eddy, who was 2-0 with a 1.73 ERA. Eddy is joined on the Preseason All-Conference Team by freshman outfielder Couper Cornblum, who led the Shockers with a .354 batting average.
Cincinnati finished the season winning seven of its last eight to finish 7-7 after facing a tough schedule to open the season. Junior pitcher Evan Shawver (2-0, 1.59 ERA, 35 K) leads the Bearcats on the mound, while seniors Eric Santiago (3B) and Wyatt Stapp (DH) were also named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Memphis went 10-7 last season and was led by Goodman, who hit .357 with eight home runs and 31 runs driven in. Goodman was named a preseason second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. Junior shortstop Ben Brooks joins Goodman on the Preseason All-Conference Team.
USF finished 2020 at 6-11 after facing five games against top-15 competition. Redshirt freshman pitcher Jack Jasiak leads the Bulls from the mound after going 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23.1 innings.
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or players.
American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll
| East Carolina (7) | 49 |
| UCF | 39 |
| Tulane (1) | 36 |
| Houston | 34 |
| Wichita State | 25 |
| Cincinnati | 15 |
| Memphis | 14 |
| USF | 12 |
First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Player of the Year
Hunter Goodman, So., C, Memphis
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Braden Olthoff, R-Jr., Tulane
Preseason All-Conference Team
P – Colton Gordon, R-So., UCF
P – Evan Shawver, Jr., Cincinnati
P – Jake Kuchmaner, Jr., East Carolina*
P – Braden Olthoff, R-Jr., Tulane*
P – Liam Eddy, Jr., Wichita State
RP – Jack Sinclair, Jr., UCF
C – Hunter Goodman, So., Memphis*
1B – Ryan Hernandez, Jr., Houston
2B – Connor Norby, So., East Carolina
SS – Ben Brooks, Jr., Memphis
3B – Eric Santiago, Sr., Cincinnati
3B – Trevor Minder, R-Jr., Tulane
OF – Thomas Francisco, So., East Carolina
OF – Bryson Worrell, Jr., East Carolina*
OF – Couper Cornblum, Fr., Wichita State
DH – Wyatt Stapp, Sr., Cincinnati*
* denotes unanimous selection
