Baseball Picked Second in Preseason AAC Poll
Dec 22, 2015 | Baseball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – With the 2016 season just two months away, the American Athletic Conference announced their preseason poll and All-Conference team on Tuesday, and the Green Wave are picked to finish second amongst the highly-competitive eight-team league.
Additionally, two juniors in shortstop Stephen Alemais and right-handed pitcher Corey Merrill were named to the preseason All-Conference team. Alemais was a unanimous selection at shortstop. The team is comprised of five starting pitchers, one relief pitcher, one catcher, one first baseman, one second baseman, one shortstop, one third baseman, three outfielders and a designated hitter.
The Green Wave picked up one first-place vote and totaled 41 points, seven points behind preseason favorite Houston, who earned six first-place votes. East Carolina ranked third with 38 points while UConn (32 points) notched the last remaining first-place vote.
USF (26), UCF (17), Memphis (14) and Cincinnati (8) rounded out the poll.
The American Athletic Conference rated as the third-best RPI league in the nation last season. Four teams in Houston, East Carolina, Tulane and USF made NCAA Regional appearances.
Merrill and Alemais were both named to the American Athletic Conference All-Second Team at the conclusion of the 2015 season, and both can add Tuesday's honors to their trophy cases. Alemais finished the 2015 season with a .312 batting average with 43 runs, 78 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, one home run, 22 RBI, 16 walks and 27 stolen bases. The Bronx, New York, native paced the squad in batting average, runs, total bases (98) and on-base percentage (.361) in addition to tying for the team lead in triples.
Merrill was Tulane's Friday-night starter from the beginning of the season to the end last year, as the righty from Lutcher went 5-6 in 16 starts with a 2.12 ERA across 102.0 innings. Merrill allowed 80 hits and 24 earned runs while striking out 81 and walking 43. Opponents hit a paltry .222 against him. Merrill led the team in ERA, games started, innings pitch, strikeouts and batting average allowed.
Voting for the poll and the preseason team were done strictly by the league's eight head coaches. Coaches were forbidden from voting for their own players or ranking their own squad.
On Monday, Tulane was ranked 19th by Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 Preseason Poll, the first preseason ranking by the Green Wave program since 2011, and the first by Collegiate Baseball since 2007.
Season ticket packages and renewals for the 2016 Tulane baseball season are on sale now. The deadline to be eligible for priority seating is January 6, 2016. To purchase or renew your seats, call (504) 861-WAVE (9283), click here, or visit the Athletics ticket office on the first floor of the James W. Wilson, Jr. Center Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5pm.
Fans can follow the Tulane baseball program on Twitter (@GreenWaveBSB) or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GreenWaveBaseball.
2016 American Athletic Conference Preseason Baseball Poll
Team (First Place Votes), Points
1. Houston (6), 48
2. Tulane (1), 41
3. East Carolina, 38
4. UConn (1), 32
5. USF, 26
6. UCF, 17
7. Memphis, 14
8. Cincinnati, 8
2016 Preseason All-Conference Team
Pos., Name, School
P Cre Finfrock, UCF
P Anthony Kay*, UConn
P Andrew Lantrip*, Houston
P Seth Romero*, Houston
P Corey Merrill, Tulane
RP Nolan Blackwood, Memphis
C Levi Borders, USF
1B Bobby Melley*, UConn
2B Josh Vidales, Houston
3B Willy Yahn, UConn
SS Stephen Alemais*, Tulane
OF Jack Sundberg*, UConn
OF Darien Tubbs*, Memphis
OF Luke Maglich, USF
DH Joe Deroche-Duffin, UConn
*=Unanimous Selection
Preseason Player of the Year: OF Darien Tubbs, Memphis
Co-Preseason Pitchers of the Year: LHP Anthony Kay, UConn; LHP Seth Romero, Houston
