Feb. 10, 2011

click here for coaches' SoCon preseason poll

Rakar, Talley headline All-Southern Conference Teams

Senior Cole Rakar (right) of College of Charleston was named Preseason Player of the Year and senior left-hander Matt Talley of The Citadel was chosen as Preseason Pitcher of the Year in the Southern Conference, in voting by the league’s head coaches and released by the conference office.

Rakar led the conference in 2010 with 76 runs, 102 hits and 26 doubles. He batted .378 with 31 multi-hit games. He was a first-team selection and earned a place on the all-tournament team at the Myrtle Beach Regional.

Talley posted a mark of 8-3 a season ago with a 3.71 ERA in 16 starts. Opponent hit .251 against him and he recorded 85 strikeouts. Talley was named to the all-tournament team at the Columbia Regional after holding Virginia Tech to a pair of runs in seven innings as the Bulldogs defeated the Hokies 7-2 in the tourney opener.
 
College of Charleston placed six players on the SoCon preseason all-conference teams, while The Citadel and Western Carolina both had four players honored.

The 2011 season kicks off on Friday, Feb. 18, with all 11 SoCon teams in action. Conference play begins on Friday, March 4, with Appalachian State at The Citadel and Furman at Davidson. The 2011 Southern Conference Championship will be May 25-29 at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in Charleston, S.C.

 
2011 SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team

Player of the Year Cole Rakar, Sr., OF, College of Charleston
Pitcher of the Year Matt Talley, Sr., LHP, The Citadel

First Team
SP Matt Talley, The Citadel
SP Matt Benedict, Western Carolina
RP Casey Lucchese, College of Charleston
C Rob Kral, College of Charleston
1B Jose Rodriguez, College of Charleston
2B Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
SS Neal Pritchard, Elon
3B Matt Leeds, College of Charleston
OF Cole Raker, College of Charleston
OF Shawn Payne, Georgia Southern
OF Matt Johns, Western Carolina
DH Mac Doyle, Wofford

Second Team
SP Lex Rutledge, Samford
SP David Peterson, College of Charleston
RP Brandon Johnson, Western Carolina
C Jeremy Dowdy, Appalachian State
1B Danny Weiss, Davidson
1B Justin Mackert, The Citadel
2B Will Muzika, Furman
SS Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
3B Andrew Barna, Davidson
OF Nick Orvin, The Citadel
OF James Foster, Wofford
OF Will Owens, Furman
DH Brad Felder, The Citadel

(photo courtesy of SoCon Media Relations Office)