Baseball’s Witherspoon Named to American Athletic Conference Preseason Team
Dec 21, 2017 | Baseball
NEW ORLEANS – Tulane baseball junior outfielder Grant Witherspoon has been named to the American Athletic Conference Preseason Team, the league office announced Thursday.
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Witherspoon hit .299 with 48 runs, 36 RBI and 16 extra base hits last year, including five home runs and 10 doubles. The Lakewood, Colo., native led the team with 10 stolen bases and four outfield assists, and was second with 67 hits in 56 games. He is the Green Wave leading returning producer of home runs, hits, doubles, RBI and runs.
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In two seasons, Witherspoon has hit .285 and collected 124 hits, 81 runs, 16 doubles, eight home runs, 61 RBI and 15 steals, alongside 13 assists from the outfield.
Witherspoon is one of 15 letterwinners and just two position starters returning for the Green Wave in 2018. The Wave will feature 21 newcomers to the squad, which begins its second season under head coach Travis Jewett Feb. 16 at home against Wright State.
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The 2018 season begins Feb. 16-18 against Wright State at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchase online at TulaneTix.com, by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283) or in person at the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office in the James W. Wilson Jr. Center. Season ticket packages includes all 33 home games start as low as $100 for a single book and $300 for a family four-pack. Seats are available in locations throughout Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Click here for season ticket holder benefits and a seating chart.
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Follow Green Wave Baseball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and @TulaneBaseball on Snapchat. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, FacebookÂ, Instagram and @TulaneAthletics on Snapchat.
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2018 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
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2018 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Pos    Name                                     2017 Statistics
P      Joe Sheridan - UCF               10-4, 3.25 ERA, 72.0 IP, 64 K
P      Tim Cate - UConn           4-3, 3.33 ERA, 75.2 IP, 102 K
P     Trey Cumbie * - Houston         10-2, 2.04 ERA, 101.1 IP, 82 K
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Shane McClanahan * - USFÂ Â Â 4-2, 3.20 ERA, 76.0 IP, 104 K
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Peter Strzelecki - USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 3-4, 2.42 ERA, 67.0 IP, 62 K
RPÂ Â Â Â Bryce Tucker * - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 2-2, 1.66 ERA, 9 SV, 38.0 IP, 55 K
C      Zac Susi * - UConn            .286, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 9 2B, 2 3B
1BÂ Â Â Â Â Rylan Thomas - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .303, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 11 2B, .530 SLG
2BÂ Â Â Â Â Matthew Mika - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .278, 0 HR, 28 RBI, 12 2B, 25 SB
SS     Anthony Prato - UConn       .303, 1 HR, 33 RBI, 10 2B, 14 SB
3B     Alec Bohm - Wichita State      .305, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 13 2B, 2 3B, 5 SB
OF     Tyler Webb - Memphis        .305, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 16 2B
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Duke Stunkel - USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .344, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 16 2B
OF     Grant Witherspoon - Tulane  .299, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 10 2B, 10 SB
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Greyson Jenista - Wichita State .320, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 14 2B, 6 SB
               * unanimous selection                Â
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PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEARÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
1B        Rylan Thomas   UCF    .303, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 11 2B, .530 SLG
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PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEARÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
LHP   Trey Cumbie    Houston 10-2, 2.04 ERA, 101.1 IP, 82 K
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Witherspoon hit .299 with 48 runs, 36 RBI and 16 extra base hits last year, including five home runs and 10 doubles. The Lakewood, Colo., native led the team with 10 stolen bases and four outfield assists, and was second with 67 hits in 56 games. He is the Green Wave leading returning producer of home runs, hits, doubles, RBI and runs.
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In two seasons, Witherspoon has hit .285 and collected 124 hits, 81 runs, 16 doubles, eight home runs, 61 RBI and 15 steals, alongside 13 assists from the outfield.
Witherspoon is one of 15 letterwinners and just two position starters returning for the Green Wave in 2018. The Wave will feature 21 newcomers to the squad, which begins its second season under head coach Travis Jewett Feb. 16 at home against Wright State.
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The 2018 season begins Feb. 16-18 against Wright State at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchase online at TulaneTix.com, by calling 504-861-WAVE (9283) or in person at the Tulane Athletics Ticket Office in the James W. Wilson Jr. Center. Season ticket packages includes all 33 home games start as low as $100 for a single book and $300 for a family four-pack. Seats are available in locations throughout Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. Click here for season ticket holder benefits and a seating chart.
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Follow Green Wave Baseball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and @TulaneBaseball on Snapchat. Follow Tulane Athletics on Twitter, FacebookÂ, Instagram and @TulaneAthletics on Snapchat.
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2018 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
| Team (First-Place Votes) | Â Points | |
| 1. | Houston (5) | 59 |
| 2. | UConn (3) | 50 |
| 3. | UCF | 49 |
| 4. | ECU | 45 |
| 5. | USF (1) | 43 |
| 6. | Wichita State | 29 |
| 7. | Memphis | 19 |
| 8. | Tulane | 18 |
| 9. | Cincinnati | 12 |
2018 PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Pos    Name                                     2017 Statistics
P      Joe Sheridan - UCF               10-4, 3.25 ERA, 72.0 IP, 64 K
P      Tim Cate - UConn           4-3, 3.33 ERA, 75.2 IP, 102 K
P     Trey Cumbie * - Houston         10-2, 2.04 ERA, 101.1 IP, 82 K
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Shane McClanahan * - USFÂ Â Â 4-2, 3.20 ERA, 76.0 IP, 104 K
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Peter Strzelecki - USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 3-4, 2.42 ERA, 67.0 IP, 62 K
RPÂ Â Â Â Bryce Tucker * - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â 2-2, 1.66 ERA, 9 SV, 38.0 IP, 55 K
C      Zac Susi * - UConn            .286, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 9 2B, 2 3B
1BÂ Â Â Â Â Rylan Thomas - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .303, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 11 2B, .530 SLG
2BÂ Â Â Â Â Matthew Mika - UCFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .278, 0 HR, 28 RBI, 12 2B, 25 SB
SS     Anthony Prato - UConn       .303, 1 HR, 33 RBI, 10 2B, 14 SB
3B     Alec Bohm - Wichita State      .305, 11 HR, 40 RBI, 13 2B, 2 3B, 5 SB
OF     Tyler Webb - Memphis        .305, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 16 2B
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Duke Stunkel - USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â .344, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 16 2B
OF     Grant Witherspoon - Tulane  .299, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 10 2B, 10 SB
OFÂ Â Â Â Â Greyson Jenista - Wichita State .320, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 14 2B, 6 SB
               * unanimous selection                Â
                                              Â
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEARÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
1B        Rylan Thomas   UCF    .303, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 11 2B, .530 SLG
                                                                             Â
PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEARÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
LHP   Trey Cumbie    Houston 10-2, 2.04 ERA, 101.1 IP, 82 K
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Players Mentioned
OF/LHP
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