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Baseball Picked Second, De La Guerra Tabbed as WAC Preseason Player of the Year
2/3/2015 7:46:00 AM | Baseball
Lopes open season with annual Alumni Game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Western Athletic Conference today announced the 2015 preseason baseball coaches poll and All-WAC team, with Grand Canyon University voted to finish second and senior infielder Chad De La Guerra tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Additionally, senior outfielder David Walker and junior left-hander Andrew Naderer were named to the preseason All-WAC squad.
De La Guerra led the WAC in batting average last season (.373) and ranked among conference leaders in a number of offensive categories: second in hits (78), RBI (49), and slugging percentage (.555), tied for fourth in triples (4), home runs (6), and runs scored (45), and sixth in stolen bases (16) and on-base percentage (.433).
Walker finished second among WAC hitters with a .360 batting average and 22 stolen bases. Naderer ranked tied for second among conference pitchers with a career-high-tying nine victories last season.
Reigning conference champion Sacramento State was picked to finish atop the team standings, receiving eight of the possible 10 first-place votes. The Antelopes, who went 30-23 overall and 19-8 in WAC play under head coach Andy Stankiewicz last season, collected the remaining two first-place votes.
Bakersfield was tabbed to finish third, followed by Seattle U in fourth and Utah Valley in fifth. New Mexico State and Texas-Pan American were selected to tie for sixth, while Chicago State, North Dakota, and Northern Colorado rounded out the final three spots.
Sacramento State's Brennan Leitao earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.
2015 Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
2015 Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
Catcher: Brian Olson, Sr., Seattle U
First Base: Soloman Williams, Sr., Bakersfield
Second Base: Chad De La Guerra, Sr., Grand Canyon
Third Base: Derek Umphres, Jr., New Mexico State
Shortstop: Mylz Jones, Jr., Bakersfield
Outfield: Nathan Lukes, Jr., Sacramento State
Outfield: Landon Cray, Jr., Seattle U
Outfield: David Walker, Sr., Grand Canyon
Starting Pitcher: Brennan Leitao, Sr., Sacramento State
Starting Pitcher: Sam Long, So., Sacramento State
Starting Pitcher: Andrew Naderer, Jr., Grand Canyon
Relief Pitcher: Sutter McLoughlin, Jr., Sacramento State
At-Large: Scott Burcham, Sr., SS, Sacramento State
At-Large: Mark Krueger, Jr., 1B, Utah Valley
Click here for the complete WAC release
Additionally, senior outfielder David Walker and junior left-hander Andrew Naderer were named to the preseason All-WAC squad.
De La Guerra led the WAC in batting average last season (.373) and ranked among conference leaders in a number of offensive categories: second in hits (78), RBI (49), and slugging percentage (.555), tied for fourth in triples (4), home runs (6), and runs scored (45), and sixth in stolen bases (16) and on-base percentage (.433).
Walker finished second among WAC hitters with a .360 batting average and 22 stolen bases. Naderer ranked tied for second among conference pitchers with a career-high-tying nine victories last season.
Reigning conference champion Sacramento State was picked to finish atop the team standings, receiving eight of the possible 10 first-place votes. The Antelopes, who went 30-23 overall and 19-8 in WAC play under head coach Andy Stankiewicz last season, collected the remaining two first-place votes.
Bakersfield was tabbed to finish third, followed by Seattle U in fourth and Utah Valley in fifth. New Mexico State and Texas-Pan American were selected to tie for sixth, while Chicago State, North Dakota, and Northern Colorado rounded out the final three spots.
Sacramento State's Brennan Leitao earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.
2015 Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
| Rank | Team (1st Place Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Sacramento State (8) | 80 |
| 2 | Grand Canyon (2) | 71 |
| 3 | Bakersfield | 60 |
| 4 | Seattle U | 49 |
| 5 | Utah Valley | 48 |
| T6 | New Mexico State | 45 |
| T6 | Texas-Pan American | 45 |
| 8 | Chicago State | 19 |
| 9 | North Dakota | 17 |
| 10 | Northern Colorado | 16 |
2015 Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll
Catcher: Brian Olson, Sr., Seattle U
First Base: Soloman Williams, Sr., Bakersfield
Second Base: Chad De La Guerra, Sr., Grand Canyon
Third Base: Derek Umphres, Jr., New Mexico State
Shortstop: Mylz Jones, Jr., Bakersfield
Outfield: Nathan Lukes, Jr., Sacramento State
Outfield: Landon Cray, Jr., Seattle U
Outfield: David Walker, Sr., Grand Canyon
Starting Pitcher: Brennan Leitao, Sr., Sacramento State
Starting Pitcher: Sam Long, So., Sacramento State
Starting Pitcher: Andrew Naderer, Jr., Grand Canyon
Relief Pitcher: Sutter McLoughlin, Jr., Sacramento State
At-Large: Scott Burcham, Sr., SS, Sacramento State
At-Large: Mark Krueger, Jr., 1B, Utah Valley
Click here for the complete WAC release
Players Mentioned
Monday, June 01
Saturday, May 16
Sunday, May 10
Sunday, May 10