NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama outfielder Ethan Wilson was named the Preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, and right-hander Drake Nightengale was named the Preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, as announced by the league office Thursday.

Wilson (outfield), Nightengale (starting pitcher) and Kaleb DeLaTorre (first base) were also voted Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference, while the Jaguars were picked to win the Sun Belt Conference East Division.

Earlier this year, Wilson was named Preseason First-Team All-America by Collegiate Baseball, and Second-Team Preseason All-America by D1Baseball. Nightengale was selected Preseason Second-Team All-America by Collegiate Baseball. 

Last season, Wilson was named the 2019 Collegiate Baseball National Co-Freshman of the Year and was also First-Team All-America selection by the organization. He earned First-Team Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in 2019, Third-Team All-America by Collegiate Baseball and the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings, in addition to being a First-Team All-Central Region selection.

Wilson was the 2019 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, and also earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors. He is the first freshman in conference history to be named the Sun Belt Player of the Year, and was the first to earn the award since Jordan Patterson in 2013. Wilson finished his freshman campaign ranked second in the conference 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). 

Nightengale went 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.

He 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. 

DeLaTorre batted .301 with 15 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 37 RBIs, 40 runs scored and .391 on-base percentage in 56 games played last season. He ranked ninth in the Sun Belt in batting average (.349) in league games. 

In 30 Sun Belt contests, DeLaTorre recorded eight doubles, one triple, four home runs, 19 RBIs, 19 runs scored and .433 OBP. The Fort Scott, Kan., native recorded 16 multiple-hit and seven multi-RBI games on the season, while hitting safely in 41 of 56 contests.

USA received six of 12 first-place votes in the preseason coaches' poll as the favorite in the Sun Belt East Division, followed by Coastal Carolina, who earned four first-place votes, and Georgia Southern with two. Troy was picked to finish fourth in the East Division, followed by Appalachian State and Georgia State.

UT Arlington, who received just three first-place votes but 58 total points, was picked to win the West Division followed by Louisiana with five first-place votes and 57 total points. Texas State received three first-place votes and was picked to finish third, while Little Rock earned one first-place vote and is predicted to finish fourth in the division. ULM was picked to finish fifth, followed by Arkansas State.

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. 

2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Baseball Team

Drake Nightengale, South Alabama (Senior, Starting Pitcher, Hattiesburg, Miss.)

Zach McCambley, Coastal Carolina (Junior, Starting Pitcher, Mount Pocono, Pa.)

Levi Thomas, Troy (Senior, Starting Pitcher, Cullman, Ala.)

Andrew Papp, Appalachian State (Senior, Relief Pitcher, Raleigh, N.C.)

Jack Jumper, Arkansas State (Senior, Relief Pitcher, Benton, Ark.)

Kale Emshoff, Little Rock (RS-Senior, Catcher, Robstown, Texas)

Kaleb DeLatorre, South Alabama (Senior, First Base, Fort Scott, Kan.)

Luke Drumheller, Appalachian State (Sophomore, Second Base, Charlotte, N.C.)

Hayden Cantrelle, Louisiana (Junior, Shortstop, Lafayette, La.)

Garrett Scott, Little Rock (RS-Senior, Third Base, Spring, Texas)

Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern (Senior, Outfielder, Cumming, Ga.)

Ethan Wilson, South Alabama (Sophomore, Outfielder, Andalusia, Ala.)

Rigsby Mosley, Troy (Junior, Outfielder, Maitland, Fla.)

Will Hollis, Texas State (Senior, Designated Hitter, McKinney, Texas)

Andrew Beesley, ULM (Senior, Utility, Natchez, Miss.)
 

2020 Preseason Player of the Year
Ethan Wilson, South Alabama (Sophomore, Outfielder, Andalusia, Ala.)
 
2020 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Drake Nightengale, South Alabama (Senior, Starting Pitcher, Hattiesburg, Miss.)