DENVER – Seattle U is the preseason favorite to win the 2017 Western Athletic Conference baseball title and Redhawks’ pitcher Nick Meservey and Grand Canyon outfielder Garrison Schwartz were selected WAC Preseason Pitcher and Player of the Year respectively in a vote of the league’s nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
The Redhawks received four first place votes to finish atop the preseason poll with 60 points. NM State was selected second, earning one first place vote and 52 points overall. Sacramento State picked up two first place votes for 47 points, edging out Grand Canyon by one point for third as the Lopes earned 46 points. Utah Valley was selected fifth as the 2016 tournament champions finished with 43 points. CSU Bakersfield was sixth, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley, Northern Colorado and Chicago State.
Meservey and Schwartz highlighted the Preseason All-WAC squad. Seattle U led the way with five honorees as Sean Sutton, Griffin Andreychuk, Tarik Skubal and Connor Moore joined Meservey. NM State had four honored as Mason Fishback, Trey Stine, Austin Botello and Kyle Bradish represented the Aggies. Schwartz was joined by GCU teammate Zach Malis while the CSU Bakersfield duo of David Metzgar and Max Carter represented the Roadrunners. UT Rio Grande Valley’s Jose Garcia rounded out the 14-member squad.
The 2017 season begins on Friday, Feb. 17. WAC play is set to begin on March 24.
2017 Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st Place Votes) Points
1. Seattle U (4) 60
2. NM State (1) 52
3. Sacramento State (2) 47
4. Grand Canyon 46
5. Utah Valley (2) 43
6. CSU Bakersfield 25
7. UT Rio Grande Valley 24
8. Northern Colorado 19
9. Chicago State 8
2017 Preseason All-WAC Team
Catcher: Mason Fishback, Jr., NM State
First Base: Sean Sutton, Jr., Seattle U
Second Base: David Metzgar, Sr., CSU Bakersfield
Third Base: Trey Stine, Sr., NM State
Shortstop: Griffin Andreychuk, Sr., Seattle U
Outfield: Garrison Schwartz, Jr., Grand Canyon
Outfield: Austin Botello, Sr., NM State
Outfield: Jose Garcia, Sr., UT Rio Grande Valley
Starting Pitcher: Nick Meservey, Jr., Seattle U
Starting Pitcher: Kyle Bradish, So., NM State
Starting Pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Jr., Seattle U
Relief Pitcher: Connor Moore, Sr., Seattle U
At-Large: Zach Malis, So., Grand Canyon
At-Large: Max Carter, Sr., CSU Bakersfield
