Three Conference Carolinas Baseball Teams Appear in NCBWA Preseason Polls; Five Players Earn Preseason Accolades
Three Conference Carolinas Baseball Teams Appear in NCBWA Preseason Polls; Five Players Earn Preseason Accolades
PEMBROKE, N.C. – Conference Carolinas was well-represented in the NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) preseason polls and preseason awards that were released recently.
The University of Mount Olive is lone conference team ranked in the preseason national poll at No. 7, while also being the No. 1 ranked team in the Southeast to open 2018. Belmont Abbey College was tabbed No. 7 in the Southeast and North Greenville University earned the No. 9 spot.
In addition to the national and regional polls, preseason All-America and All-Region teams were announced. Reigning Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Nick Beinlich of Belmont Abbey was the league's only preseason All-America, earning first team honors. Beinlich also earned preseason first team All-Region honors.
Other preseason All-Region selections were North Greenville's Tucker Burgess, Mount Olive's Drew Ellis and Limestone duo Chase Allen and Zach Piazza.
Full NCBWA Release
2018 Preseason NCBWA National Poll
7. Mount Olive (N.C.)
2018 Preseason All-America Team
First Team
Outfield: Nick Beinlich, Belmont Abbey (N.C.)
2018 Preseason NCBWA Southeast Region Poll
1. Mount Olive (N.C.)
7. Belmont Abbey (N.C.)
9. North Greenville, S.C.
2018 Preseason All-Southeast Region Team
First Team
Starting Pitcher: Tucker Burgess, North Greenville (S.C.)
Outfield: Nick Beinlich, Belmont Abbey (N.C.)
Second Team
First Base: Drew Ellis, Mount Olive (N.C.)
Third Base: Chase Allen, Limestone (S.C.)
Shortstop: Zach Piazza, Limestone (S.C.)
Conference Carolinas is a NCAA Division II athletics conference made up of 11 teams from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. These institutions consist of: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Converse College, Emmanuel College, Erskine College, King University, Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, University of Mount Olive, North Greenville University, and Southern Wesleyan University. Emmanuel College is currently completing the NCAA Membership Process and will be fully competing in league championships in the near future.