NEW ORLEANS — The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, individual awards and Preseason Poll on Wednesday, based on a vote of the league’s 14 head coaches.
Louisiana junior shortstop Kyle DeBarge and Troy junior starting pitcher Grayson Stewart headlined the conference’s preseason honors as the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year.
DeBarge was an All-Sun Belt Second Team honoree in 2023, after hitting .371 with 76 hits, 15 doubles, seven home runs, 53 runs scored and 38 RBI. The Kinder, La., native was also named to the Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team and the NCAA Coral Gables All-Regional Team in 2023.
Stewart was an All-Sun Belt First Team pick in 2023, accumulating a 9-3 record with a 3.65 ERA, 94 strikeouts and just 25 walks over 91.1 innings pitched. The Dothan, Ala., product held opponents to a .247 batting average as a sophomore.
Coastal Carolina and Troy paced all Sun Belt programs with three preseason honorees apiece, while Georgia Southern (2) and Southern Miss (2) also had multiple players selected.
The Chanticleers—who advanced to an NCAA Baseball Regional final a year ago—received 12-of-14 first-place votes to be picked to top the conference in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll.
After advancing to its second-straight NCAA Baseball Super Regional in 2023, Southern Miss earned the second slot in the preseason ledger, while 2023 NCAA Baseball Regional participants Troy and Louisiana earned the third and fourth positions. The Ragin’ Cajuns picked up the two remaining first-place votes.
Four teams that have earned a postseason berth over the past three campaigns—Texas State (2022), Old Dominion (2021), Georgia Southern (2022) and South Alabama (2021)—closely followed last year’s postseason participants.
App State, James Madison, Georgia State, Marshall, ULM and Arkansas State rounded out the preseason poll.
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Player of the Year
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Niko Mazza, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Madison, Miss.)
Billy Oldham, Southern Miss (Sr., SP – Brookfield, Conn.)
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Noah Manning, Troy (Sr., RP – Minooka, Ill.)
Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (So., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)
Zack Beach, Coastal Carolina (Gr., 1B – Mechanicsville, Va.)
Chase Mora, Texas State (So., 2B – Tomball, Texas)
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
CJ Boyd, App State (Sr., OF – Lewisville, N.C.)
Fenwick Trimble, James Madison (Jr., OF – Virginia Beach, Va.)
Shane Lewis, Troy (Jr., OF – Vicksburg, Miss.)
Derek Bender, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DH – Murrells Inlet, S.C.)
Sam Blancato, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., UT – Marietta, Ga.)
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Coastal Carolina (12) – 193
2. Southern Miss – 173
3. Troy – 164
4. Louisiana (2) – 159
5. Texas State – 138
6. Old Dominion – 115
7. Georgia Southern – 99
8. South Alabama – 98
9. App State – 82
10. James Madison – 79
11. Georgia State – 78
12. Marshall – 34
13. ULM – 33
14. Arkansas State – 25