MACON, Ga. – Stetson has been selected to win the Atlantic Sun in 2003 by the league’s head coaches while the media has selected UCF to repeat last year’s championship season. Both the league’s head coaches and media members predict Stetson to win the Atlantic Sun Tournament, which will be hosted by the Hatters for the second consecutive season.
The league office also announced the 2003 Atlantic Sun Preseason All-Conference baseball team on Wednesday and UCF placed two players on the team. Sophomore outfielder Dee Brown, the 2002 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, was named to the team along with sophomore outfielder Clay Timpner. Timpner was a 2002 A-Sun All-Freshman team selection.
Despite having the league’s top pitching staff for the last two seasons, UCF did not have a pitcher selected to the preseason all-conference team. UCF led the A-Sun and ranked 20th in the nation last season in ERA.
Stetson, who finished 42-19 last season and earned one of three A-Sun bids to the NCAA Tournament, picked up seven of a possible 12 first place votes in the A-Sun Coaches Poll to finish first with 135 points. UCF, last year’s A-Sun champion at 41-22, finished just behind Stetson with 132 points and three first place votes. Florida Atlantic, who finished 46-21 a year ago, received the other two first place votes and finished a close third with 129 total points.
The 2003 A-Sun Media Poll was a near identical match to the coaches’ poll. UCF narrowly edged Stetson with seven first place votes and finished just five points ahead of the Hatters. Selected to finish third, Florid Atlantic finished third with four first place votes and 159 points.
The Atlantic Sun placed three teams in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season last year as Florida Atlantic won the Tuscaloosa Regional and advanced to play Georgia Tech in an NCAA Super Regional.
The 2003 regular season gets underway this weekend when Mercer hosts Morris Brown in a doubleheader on Saturday. Atlantic Sun play begins in late February, and the A-Sun Tournament is scheduled for May 21-24 at Stetson.
2003 A-Sun Preseason Baseball COACHES Poll
Teams (1st Place Votes)
1. Stetson (7)
2. UCF (3)
3. Florida Atlantic (2)
4. Jacksonville
5. Troy State
6. Samford
7. Georgia State
8. Campbell
9. Mercer
10. Jacksonville State
11. Belmont
12. Gardner-Webb
Tournament Champ: Stetson (7)
2003 A-Sun Preseason Baseball MEDIA Poll
Teams (1st Place Votes)
1. UCF (7)
2. Stetson (5)
3. Florida Atlantic (4)
4. Jacksonville
5. Troy State
6. Samford
7. Georgia State
8. Campbell
9. Mercer
10. Jacksonville State
11. Belmont
12. Gardner-Webb
Tournament Champ: Stetson (7)
2003 A-Sun BaseballPreseason All-Conference Team
Pos. Player
SP Danny Core, Sr., FAU
SP Roger Lincoln, Sr., Stetson
SP Chris Pillsbury, Jr., FAU
RP Andy Wilson, Sr., Stetson
C Chris Westervelt, Jr., Stetson
1B Bryan Zenchyk, Jr., Stetson
2B Andy Wilson, Sr., Stetson
3B Brian Snyder, Jr., Stetson
SS Derek Barrows, Jr., Campbell
OF Dee Brown, So., UCF
OF Jeff Fiorentino, So., FAU
OF Clay Timpner, So., UCF
DH Wade Miller, Jr., TSU
Preseason MVP: Chris Westervelt, Stetson