Longwood Picked Fifth In Big South North Division Poll

Longwood University has been picked to finish fifth in the six-team North Division in the 2014 Big South Conference Baseball Preseason Poll, as announced today by the conference office.  Liberty University was selected first in the North Division voting conducted among the head coaches.  In addition, Coastal Carolina University was selected first in the South Division, while junior Bobby Ison of South Division member Charleston Southern University was voted the Big South Preseason Player of the Year, and North Division Campbell University senior Ryan Thompson was voted the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year.  The Lancers will open the season with a three-game series at East Tennessee State University of the Atlantic Sun Conference on February 14-16 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

“We are very excited for this 2014 season and look forward to the challenging Big South schedule,” said first-year head coach Brian McCullough.  “Our returning players have gained a year of experience in the conference and we will look for them to lead this team.  Regardless of preseason rankings, our goal remains the same and that is to put ourselves in a position to win a championship each year.”

Liberty received 62 points in North Division voting to finish ahead of Campbell (59), Radford University (51), High Point University (38), Longwood (28) and VMI (14).  The defending Big South Tournament Champion Flames finished 2013 with a record of 36-29 overall, 13-11 in the Big South.  Campbell finished 49-10 overall, 19-5 in the Big South.  Radford finished 30-26 overall, 14-10 in the Big South.  High Point finished 29-29 overall, 15-9 in the Big South.  Longwood finished 26-28 overall, 12-12 in the Big South.  VMI finished 20-35 overall, 6-18 in the Big South.

Coastal Carolina received 72 points in South Division voting to finish ahead of Gardner-Webb University (56), Charleston Southern (45), Winthrop University (34), Presbyterian College (26) and UNC Asheville (19).  The Chanticleers finished 2013 with a record of 37-23 overall, 18-6 in the Big South, while advancing to the NCAA Regional.  Gardner-Webb finished 29-27-1 overall, 12-11 in the Big South.  Charleston Southern finished 22-34 overall, 11-13 in the Big South.  Winthrop finished 21-33 overall, 8-15 in the Big South.  Presbyterian finished 24-32 overall, 10-14 in the Big South.  Asheville finished 16-35 overall, 4-18 in the Big South.

Ison, a junior outfielder, was a First Team All-Big South honoree in 2013 when he hit .367 with 14 doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI.  Thompson, a senior right-hander, was tabbed a 2014 preseason Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and a preseason Third Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association.  The 2013 Big South Pitcher of the Year was 9-1 with an 0.88 ERA and 57 strikeouts.

Longwood advanced to the Big South Tournament in its first season a year ago, while attaining its 32nd overall 20-win campaign and 25th season with at least 25 wins.  The Lancers return 18 lettermen, including nine pitchers, and have added 11 freshmen (five that pitch).  Longwood is expected to be led by seniors Matt Dickason/Chesapeake (.331, 13 2B, 18 RBI), Scott Burkett/Williamsburg (.304, 4 HR, 11 2B, 30 RBI) and Alex Owens/Purcellville (.281, 4 HR, 18 2B, 32 RBI), along with junior pitchers Brandon Vick/Newport News (6-5, 3.95 ERA, 33K) and Alex Myers/Newport News (4-2, 3.30 ERA, 67K, 10 saves).

The 2014 Big South Baseball Championship will be played May 20-24 at Winthrop in Rock Hill, South Carolina.