ACC Baseball well represented in Preseason polls, All-America lists |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As the 2024 baseball season approaches, the preseason polls and superlatives have been announced from various organizations around the country with Atlantic Coast Conference schools being well represented.
Six ACC schools – Clemson, Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, and Wake Forest – have appeared in all five national preseason polls - Baseball America, D1Baseball, NCBWA, Perfect Game, and USA Today Coaches. Wake Forest, the preseason favorites as voted by ACC baseball coaches, was deemed as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation by all five organizations. The ACC placed 15 student-athletes on the D1Baseball Preseason All-America teams which leads all conferences. A pair of Demon Deacons, Nick Kurtz and Josh Hartle, pair with the Blue Devils’ Fran Oschell as first team selections. Kurtz and Hartle were once again First Team All-America selections when Baseball America released its list. There, the Wake Forest duo was joined by flamethrowing teammate Chase Burns and North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt. The Tar Heel outfielder was ranked among the top three in several Baseball America superlative categories, including best athlete, best defensive outfielder, and best outfield arm. A total of 10 student-athletes from around the ACC were named to USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award watch list. Hurtle, Kurtz, Burns, and King all represent Wake Forest, giving the Demon Deacons a chart-topping four members on the watch list. Other representatives from the ACC include Honeycutt, Ethan Anderson (Virginia), Cam Cannarella (Clemson), Jacob Cozart (NC State), Griff O’Ferrall (Virginia), and Gage Ziehl (Miami). Perfect Game honored a pair of Demon Deacons with preseason player of the year honors. Infielder Nick Kurtz earned the organization’s Preseason Player of the Year nod, while Tennessee-transfer Chase Burns was tabbed as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year. ACC coaches selected the Demon Deacons as the preseason favorites in the league’s coaches poll. Wake Forest was picked to finish atop the Atlantic Division, while fellow 2023 Men’s College World Series participant Virginia earned top honors for the Coastal Division. D1Baseball Preseason Rankings 1 - Wake Forest 10 - Clemson 12 - Duke 13 - NC State 14 - Virginia 15 - North Carolina D1Baseball Preseason All-America Teams First Team 1B - Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest OF - Cam Cannarella, Clemson SP - Josh Hartle, Wake Forest RP - Fran Oschell, Duke Second Team C - Jacob Cozart, NC State SS - Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia DH - Ethan Anderson, Virginia SP - Chase Burns, Wake Forest SP - Michael Massey, Wake Forest SP - Jonathan Santucci, Duke Third Team 3B - Carson DeMartini, Virginia Tech OF - Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina OF - Seaver King, Wake Forest SP - Dominic Fritton, NC State RP - James Tallon, Duke USA Today Sports Coaches Top 25 1 - Wake Forest 9 - Clemson 11 - Virginia 14 - Duke 15 - North Carolina 16 - NC State NCBWA Preseason Poll 1 - Wake Forest 11 - Virginia 12 - Clemson 14 - Duke 16 - North Carolina 18 - NC State NBCWA Division I Preseason All-America Team First Team 1B - Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest SP - Josh Hartle, Wake Forest RP - Fran Oschell III, Duke RP - James Tallon, Duke Second Team 1B - Ethan Anderson, Virginia 3B - Carson DeMartini, Virginia Tech SS - Griff O’Farrell, Virginia OF - Anthony Donofrio, North Carolina OF - Cam Cannarella, Clemson SP - Chase Burns, Wake Forest SP - Sebastian Gongora, Louisville Third Team C - Jacob Cozart, NC State OF - Seaver King, Wake Forest SP - Andrew Healy, Duke SP - Michael Massey, Wake Forest Baseball America Preseason Poll 1 - Wake Forest 9 - Clemson 10 - Virginia 16 - Duke 17 - North Carolina 22 - NC State Baseball America Preseason All-America First Team 1B - Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest (Unanimous) OF – Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina SP – Josh Hartle, Wake Forest SP – Chase Burns, Wake Forest Second Team OF – Seaver King, Wake Forest OF – Cam Cannarella, Clemson SP – Jonathan Santucci, Duke Third Team C – Jonathan Cozart, NC State SS – Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia Perfect Game Preseason Poll 1 - Wake Forest 10 - Virginia 14 - North Carolina 19 - NC State 21 - Clemson 23 - Duke Preseason National Player of the Year: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest Preseason National Pitcher of the Year: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest Perfect Game Preseason All-America First Team C – Jacob Cozart, NC State 1B – Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest SP – Chase Burns, Wake Forest SP – Josh Hartle, Wake Forest RP – Fran Oschell, Duke Second Team SS – Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia OF – Cam Cannarella, Clemson Third Team 3B – Carson DeMartini, Virginia Tech OF – Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina OF – James Tibbs III, Florida State RP – James Tallon, Duke USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Watch List C/UT - Ethan Anderson, Virginia OF - Cam Cannarella, Clemson C - Jacob Cozart, NC State SP - Josh Hartle, Wake Forest 1B - Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest SP - Chase Burns, Wake Forest OF - Seaver King, Wake Forest SS - Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia RP - Gage Ziehl, Miami Perfect Game Preseason All-Conference Team C - Jacob Cozart, NC State 1B - Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest 2B - Blake Cyr, Miami 3B - Carson DeMartini, Virginia Tech SS - Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia OF - Cam Cannarella, Clemson OF - James Tibbs III, Florida State DH - Garrett Michel, Virginia Tech UT - Ethan Anderson, Virginia SP - Chase Burns, Wake Forest SP - Jonathan Santucci, Duke SP - Josh Hartle, Wake Forest RP - Gage Ziehl, Miami RP - Fran Oschell, Duke ACC Player of the Year: Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest ACC Pitcher of the Year: Chase Burns, Wake Forest ACC Freshman of the Year: Drew Burress, Georgia Tech
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