After a historic 2023 season for the Wolves, Newberry is predicted to follow up with another record-breaking year. The Newberry Wolves have been picked as the 2024 South Atlantic Conference baseball preseason favorite, the league office announced today. The Wolves received nine first-place votes from the conference’s head baseball coaches and 136 total points.

The 2023 SAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions, Newberry finished the year with a 43-15 record advancing to the NCAA Southeast Regional.

• MLB Draft 2024 Analysis: Who Do The Cleveland Guardians Take At No. 1?
• When Does College Baseball Start?
• Newberry Wins First SAC Baseball Championship Tournament Title Since 1999
• South Atlantic Conference Announces 2023 Baseball Awards

Wingate was voted in at No. 2 with one first-place vote and 124 total points, while Lenoir-Rhyne earned the No. 3 spot with 123 points and three first-place votes.

Catawba placed fourth in the poll with 115 points, followed by Lincoln Memorial at No. 5 with 99 points and Carson-Newman at No. 6 with 93 points.

Anderson earned the No. 7 slot with 81 points and one first-place vote, while Tusculum earned 66 points in eighth and Coker placed ninth with 46 points. Limestone came in at No. 10 with 44 points, followed by Mars Hill at No. 11 with 43 points.

Rounding out the poll were Emory & Henry and UVA Wise at a tie for No. 12 with 22 points each

In addition to the preseason coaches’ poll, the SAC announced its 2024 Preseason All-Conference teams. Newberry’s Tyler Chinpire and Bennett Roemer, along with Catawba’s Austin Fine were named first-team starting pitchers. Carson-Newman’s Jake Wright was named the first team reliever and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Sal Carricato was named to the first team as the designated hitter.

Newberry backstop Rhett Jolly earned first-team honors at catcher and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Tyler McPeak was named first-team first baseman. Cole Laskowski of Lenoir-Rhyne was named first team at second base, with Newberry’s Jonathan Velez earning first-team honors at third base and Tusculum’s Ben Scartz was named the first team shortstop.

Rounding out the first team selections are Lenoir-Rhyne’s Blake Bean, Catawba’s Dylan Driver, and Newberry’s Donovan Ford in the outfield.

The first pitch for the 2024 season will take place on Thursday, February 1. For a full schedule of games visit www.thesac.com.

2024 Baseball Preseason Poll

All-SAC First Team

OF – Blake Bean, Lenoir-Rhyne

OF –Dylan Driver, Catawba

OF – Donovan Ford, Newberry

1B – Tyler McPeak, Lenoir-Rhyne

2B – Cole Laskowski, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Ben Scartz, Tusculum

3B – Jonathan Velez, Newberry

C – Rhett Jolly, Newberry

DH – Sal Carricato, Lenoir-Rhyne

SP – Tyler Chinpire, Newberry

SP – Bennett Roemer, Newberry

SP – Austin Fine, Catawba

RP – Jake Wright, Carson-Newman

All-SAC Second Team

OF – Sean Barnett, Wingate

OF – Jermie Greene Jr., Emory & Henry

OF – Luke Poole, Anderson

1B – Cole Harness, UVA Wise

2B – Jomar Lugo, Newberry
SS – Levi Perrell, Catawba

3B – Andrew McKay, Wingate

C – Carlos Hernandez, Anderson

DH – Kody Hanna, Coker

SP – Joshua Lanham, Lenoir-Rhyne

SP – Luke Absher, Tusculum

SP – Marty Neal, Limestone
RP – David Brian Ellison, Lincoln Memorial

All-SAC Third Team

OF – Kade Faircloth, Newberry

OF – Zane Keener, Tusculum

OF – Jacob Lebron, Newberry

1B – Brett Adams, Wingate

2B – Mitch Petzelt, Lincoln Memorial

SS – Peter Adams, Limestone

3B – Kasten Harvey, Lincoln Memorial

C – Bryce Stober, Lenoir-Rhyne

DH – Carson Boles, Lincoln Memorial

SP – Ethan Bobo, Lincoln Memorial

SP – Josh Dotson, Wingate

SP - Mason Gwyn, Catawba

RP – Jake Contino, Limestone

Join The Conversation On Social

• Follow us on Twitter @FloBaseball
• Follow us on Instagram @FloBaseball
• Follow us on TikTok @FloBaseball
• Watch us on YouTube.
• Like us on Facebook.