Perucki earns Preseason All-Conference USA accolades

IRVING — RJ Perucki was a Preseason All-Conference USA selection, the league office announced on Wednesday as part of its preseason polls.

Meanwhile, UTSA is picked to finish seventh in the conference standings after making its third-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2013.

The 13-team league features eight teams that finished the 2013 season with 30 or more victories and three NCAA Tournament teams (Florida Atlantic/Rice/UTSA).

Defending C-USA Champion Rice is the preseason favorite, as the Owls received 12 first-place votes. Tulane, picked to finish fifth, received the other first-place tally.

FIU's Aramis Garcia and East Carolina's Drew Reynolds were voted the Co-Preseason Players of the Year, while Rice’s Zech Lemond was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year.

The league's 19th baseball season is scheduled to get underway on Friday, Feb. 14. The conference tournament is scheduled for May 21-25 in Hattiesburg, Miss.

C-USA's baseball schools have produced 73 NCAA appearances and 10 College World Series teams over the past 18 seasons.

The Roadrunners will begin their 22nd season of play with a three-game home series with St. Peters (N.J) from Feb. 14-16 at Roadrunner Field.

Preseason Conference USA Standings
1. Rice (12)
2. Florida Atlantic
3. East Carolina
4. Southern Miss
5. Tulane (1)
6. FIU
7. UTSA
8. Charlotte
9. Middle Tennessee
10. Old Dominion
11. UAB
12. Marshall
13. Louisiana Tech
(first place votes in parentheses)

Preseason Players of the Year
Aramis Garcia, FIU (Jr., C)
Drew Reynolds, East Carolina (Sr., DH/RHP)

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Zech Lemond, Rice (Jr.)