JAGS RANKED NO. 23 IN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL, WILSON AND NIGHTENGALE NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA

TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of South Alabama baseball team is ranked No. 23 in the 2020 Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll, and sophomore outfielder Ethan Wilson and senior right-handed pitcher Drake Nightengale were named preseason All-America, as announced by the organization Tuesday.

USA is the highest-ranked Sun Belt Conference program in the poll, followed by Louisiana (No. 24). The Jaguars finished 30-26 and 16-14 in the Sun Belt last season, and return 18 letterwinners from last year's squad for the 2020 season.

USA's 2020 schedule features five teams ranked in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll: Vanderbilt (No. 2), Mississippi State (No. 6), Arkansas (No. 9), LSU (No. 11) and Louisiana.

Wilson, the 2019 Collegiate Baseball National Co-Freshman of the Year and a First-Team All-America selection by the organization, was one of three outfielders named 2020 First-Team Preseason All-America. The Andalusia, Ala., native was voted the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, and was also a First-Team All-Sun Belt selection in the outfield, after finishing the season ranked second in the league in slugging percentage (.686) and total bases (151), tied for second in home runs (17), tied for third in runs scored (59), sixth in batting average (.345) and on-base percentage (.453), tied for eighth in hits (76), ninth in RBIs (51) and tied for ninth in doubles (16).

Wilson was the only NCAA Division I freshman in the nation to be named conference player of the year. He broke the South Alabama freshman home run record, and his 17 home runs in 2019 are the most by a Jaguar since Jeff Cunningham's single-season record of 22 in 2007.

Nightengale was named Second-Team Preseason All-America after going 6-2 with a 3.52 ERA and one save in 15 appearances with 12 starts last year. He recorded 91 strikeouts against 38 walks in 71 2/3 innings pitched while limiting opponents to a .196 batting average.

Nightengale went 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA and 49 strikeouts against seven walks in his final five starts of the 2019, which encompassed 34 1/3 innings, and turned in a quality start in each of those starts. He led the Sun Belt Conference in opposing batting average, and ranked fourth in ERA and strikeouts.

South Alabama opens the 2020 season against Campbell on Fri., Feb. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club - the baseball-specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit JaguarAthleticFund.com.

—USA—

2020 Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America Teams
FIRST TEAM
LHP Reid Detmers, Louisville
RHP Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt
RHP Mason Hickman, Vanderbilt
RHP Jeff Criswell, Michigan
LHP Asa Lacy, Texas A&M
Relief Holden Powell, UCLA
C Adrian Del Castillo, Miami (Fla.)
1B Tristan Peterson, New Mexico St.
1B Spencer Torkelson, Arizona St.
2B Nick Gonzales, New Mexico St.
3B Alex Binelas, Louisville
SS Austin Martin, Vanderbilt
OF Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas
OF Ethan Wilson, South Alabama
OF Chris Lanzilli, Wake Forest
DH Aaron Sabato, North Carolina
UT Alec Burleson, East Carolina

SECOND TEAM
RHP Emerson Hancock, Georgia
RHP JT Ginn, Mississippi St.
RHP Brian Van Belle, Miami (Fla.)
RHP Trenton Denholm, U.C. Irvine
LHP Jake Mulholland, Oregon St.
RHP Collin Liberatore, Indiana St.
RHP Tanner Burns, Auburn
LHP Doug Nikhazy, Mississippi
LHP Hayes Heinecke, Wofford
RHP Drake Nightengale, South Alabama
LHP Seth Lonsway, Ohio St.
RHP CJ Van Eyk, Florida St.
Relief Tyler Brown, Vanderbilt
Relief Alek Jacob, Gonzaga
Relief Nick Frasso, Loyola Marymount
Relief Garrett Acton, Illinois
Relief Brett Barnett, South Dakota St.
C Patrick Bailey, N.C. State
C Austin Wells, Arizona
C Griffin Lockwood-Powell, Central Michigan
1B Bobby Seymour, Wake Forest
1B Alex Toral, Miami (Fla.)
2B Justin Foscue, Mississippi St.
2B Brian Klein, Texas Tech
3B Anthony Giachin, Army
SS Casey Martin, Arkansas
OF Garrett Mitchell, UCLA
OF Hudson Haskin, Tulane
OF Tanner Allen, Mississippi St.
UT Casey Schmitt, San Diego St.

THIRD TEAM
RHP John Baker, Ball St.
RHP Cameron Brown, Central Michigan
RHP Zach Hester, Samford
RHP Kade Mechals, Grand Canyon
RHP Chance Hroch, New Mexico St.
LHP Jared Wetherbee, Elon
LHP Rodney Boone, U.C. Santa Barbara
Relief Willie Weiss, Michigan
Relief Jason Ruffcorn, Oklahoma
Relief Michael McGreevy, U.C. Santa Barbara
Relief Joe Kruszka, Albany
Relief Michael Kirian, Louisville
Relief Grant Leonard, Iowa
C Hunter Goodman, Memphis
C Alex Webb, Jacksonville St.
1B Liam Hibbits, Va. Commonwealth
1B Maxwell Costes, Maryland
1B Sonny DiChiara, Samford
1B Trevin Esquerra, Loyola Marymount
1B Cuba Bess, Grand Canyon
2B Cody Morissette, Boston College
2B Landon Stephens, Miami (Ohio)
2B Nate Fisbeck, McNeese St.
3B Tyler Keenan, Mississippi
3B Raymond Gil, Miami (Fla.)
SS Zavier Warren, Central Michigan
SS Jordan Westburg, Mississippi St.
SS Nick Loftin, Baylor
SS Tyler Wilber, S.E. Missouri St.
OF Daniel Cabrera, LSU
OF Jordan Nwogu, Michigan
OF Colton Cowser, Sam Houston St.
OF Mike Antico, St. John's
UT Max Meyer, Minnesota

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