Feb. 9, 2010

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Samford baseball team was picked seventh in the Southern Conference by SEBaseball.com when the website released its SoCon Preseason Preview on Tuesday.

The website also released its preseason All-Conference first and second teams. Samford had one player named to the first team and two players named to the second team. Outfielder David Schulze was named to the first team, while third baseman Mason Meredeth and outfielder Wayne Miller were both named to the second team.

As a junior in 2009, Schulze started every game in left field for the Bulldogs. Schulze set a Samford record with 57 RBI. He also led the team in home runs with 10, and he ranked third on the team in hitting with a .335 batting average.

Meredeth started all 52 games for the Bulldogs in 2009, mostly at third base. Meredeth tied a Samford record with a 29-game hitting streak during the season. Meredeth batted .332 with nine home runs and 41 RBI as a junior.

Miller served as the team's starting center fielder as a junior in 2009. He was second on the team with a .339 batting average. Miller had 11 doubles and 28 RBI on the season.

SEBaseball.com's Preseason Player of the Year is College of Charleston infielder Joey Bergman, while the Preseason Pitcher of the Year is Elon's Jimmy Reyes.

Georgia Southern is picked to win the league. Elon came in second in the poll, while College of Charleston came in third, The Citadel fourth and Western Carolina fifth.

The complete preseason poll and All-Conference teams are listed below.

Projected Order of Finish
1 Georgia Southern
2 Elon
3 College of Charleston
4 The Citadel
5 Western Carolina
6 Appalachian State
7 Samford
8 UNC Greensboro
9 Furman
10 Davidson
11 Wofford

Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
1B Ryan Daniels, College of Charleston
2B Wes Hobson, Appalachian State
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
3B A.J. Wirnsberger, Georgia Southern
SS Joey Bergman, College of Charleston
C Mike Melillo, Elon
OF Nick Orvin, The Citadel
OF Cole Rekar, College of Charleston
OF Harry Austin, Elon
OF David Schulze, Samford
SP Jimmy Reyes, Elon
SP Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel
SP Matt Talley, The Citadel
RP Thomas Girdwood, Elon
RP Drew Mahaffey, The Citadel

Second Team
1B Kyle Blackburn, Georgia Southern
2B Bryan Altman, The Citadel
3B David Greene, The Citadel
3B Mason Meredeth, Samford
SS Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
DH/C Stephen Natoro, Western Carolina
OF Justin Hilt, Elon
OF Wayne Miller, Samford
OF Kyle Behrendt, Wofford
SP Daniel Britt, Elon
SP Ken Ferrer, Elon
SP David Peterson, College of Charleston
SP Ian Parry, Furman
SP Matt Murray, Georgia Southern
RP Daniel Ottone, Western Carolina