ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – Chris Williams and Ray Alejo hauled in the first accolades of the 2019 campaign on Thursday when the duo was named to the American Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.
Williams was one of five unanimous selections on the 14-player team.
The redshirt junior was the lone mainstay in the Knights’ weekend rotation in 2018. The righty posted a 4-3 record with a 2.81 ERA over 93 innings of work. Williams ranked third in The American with a 4.65 strikeout-to-walk ratio from 79 punchouts and just 17 walks on the year. The rising redshirt senior allowed just 1.64 walks per nine innings, which topped the league charts. Williams led the team with six quality starts, finishing the year with 10 starts with two or fewer runs allowed.
Alejo had a stellar first campaign with UCF in 2018, earning Second Team All-Conference honors in The American. The rising redshirt junior hit .299 with a .379 on-base percentage and 25 RBI. His speed became a weapon early on in the year, as he led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation with 34 stolen bases, the second most in league history. Alejo showed off his knack for picking up extra-base hits with 14 doubles and a league-high three triples.
The American preseason poll also came out on Thursday. The Knights were tabbed to finished fourth.
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