Date: 2/16

Position: Outfield

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats):  Cole Billingsley (55 G, .345, 9 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 46 R, 30 SB), Jason Cryar (8 G, .375, 4 RBI, 3 R) and Cameron Cummings (34 G, .281, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 14 R, 2 SB)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats):  Adam Ballew (51 G, .284, 5 2B, 3 3B, 36 RBI, 27 R, 10 SB), Cole Gleason (50 G, .388, 10 2B, 23 RBI, 18 R, 2 SB) and Garrett DeGallier (45 G, .268, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 26 R, 5 SB)

Newcomers (Yr., Previous school): Brendan Donovan (Fr., Enterprise [Ala.] HS), Adam Wolfe (Jr., Scottsdale [Ariz.] CC), Dylan Hardy (Fr., D'Iberville [Miss.] HS), Travis Swaggerty (Fr., Denham Springs [La.] HS) and Jalen Haskin (Jr., Pearl River [Miss.] CC)

Miscellaneous Notes
- Cole Billingsley received an American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Division I Gold Glove Award last season, one of three outfielders to earn the honor nationally, to become the first Jaguar outfielder to earn the distinction.
- Billingsley was a first-team all-SBC selection and second-team all-South Central Region honoree after leading the conference in stolen bases (30), which tied for 17th nationally. He finished tied for second in the league in triples (4) and hits (80), tied for fourth in runs scored (46), ranked fifth in total plate appearances (275), tied for fifth in at-bats (232), tied for sixth in batting average (.345), ranked seventh in on-base percentage (.437) and tied for eighth in walks (34) in 55 games played.
- Billingsley was voted as the 2016 SBC Student-Athlete of the Year, as well as a preseason third-team All-American selection by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Head Coach Mark Calvi
-On Cole Billingsley's leadership in the outfield
"It's a great feeling whenever you have, arguably, the best player in the league as your guy coming back and he happens to play center field. As you look at the team up the middle, we could start all returners if we want to. I feel great up the middle. Cole brings so much to the table; he helps with the younger guys and he is a great teammate and leader. This year we have a bunch of returners who played a lot, so from that standpoint I feel great. Every outfield position is important, but your center fielder covers so much ground and does so many things for you defensively. How do you quantify the number of hits he takes away? It's really good having Cole out there; he's a great leader and a great kid."

-On replacing corner outfielders:
"I like our outfield situation. Obviously when you have to replace two seniors who have been in the program for two years, you have your challenges when you replace them with two new guys. But I feel great in having a returning center fielder in (Cole) Billingsley. That makes me feel better about two new corner guys. Our situation is a little unique in that we have some guys who move around, much like we have on the infield. (Dylan) Hardy has done a good job in left field; he was a second baseman in high school but he can really run and we are converting him into an outfielder. In that scenario in left field, you also have Jalen Haskin, Jared Barnes and Brendan Donovan. Barnes and Donovan can also play right field, and Haskin can play center field as well. Cam Cummings can also play both corner positions, and Travis Swaggerty is another center fielder who can play right field and has the best throwing arm on the team. Adam Wolfe, a second baseman, can also play out there. We have guys who we can move around; I like the athleticism. There could be a scenario in the outfield where you could have a 6.5-6.6 (60-yard dash) guy in center, a 6.3 in left field and a guy who runs a 6.6-6.7 in right. I like our versatility and depth out there, and I also like that they can play some different positions. I feel good with what we have right now in the outfield."

-On the depth in the outfield:
"We have the possibility to have three sub-6.6 (60-yard dash) runners out there at the same time so we can cover some ground. I like our speed in the outfield. We have some guys who play both infield and outfield, so we can do some things as far as bouncing some guys around depending on who is swinging the bat well."


Cole Billingsley
-On his leadership in the outfield: 
"I'm one of the older guys who has been in the system four years now. I kind of know how the coaches want things done, and what they want guys to buy in to. I'm grateful to be a leader; I want to be the guy that guys come to for advice."

-On playing with two new corner outfielders:
"Our coaches do a great job of getting scouting reports, and we have an idea of where we are going to play on each hitter before the game starts. But having two new guys out there, there will be some small adjustments made throughout the game."

-On what he likes about playing center field in a park the size of Stanky Field:
"There is a lot of grass to cover. I love going to get balls; I guess that's why I love the outfield. Being a center fielder, there's really not any walls on either side of you. If you can run it down, then go get it."

-On the speed in the outfield:
"The more speed you have then the more confidence you have in going and getting balls. You can adjust your outfield to certain guys who are playing. Whoever is out there, we will be confident in those guys to make plays. But we have some depth and a lot of speed, and that just gives you more confidence to go play the outfield."

-On being picked as the SBC Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year:
"It's definitely a blessing, but my mind is not focused on that. It's great and all, but it's still preseason; I still have to go out there and compete and play for South Alabama. That's what my mind is focused on. That is a great honor, but I came here to help this program win and get better. I'm focused on helping this team win and get in the postseason."

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