Kats picked fourth; four named preseason all-CUSA
2/1/2024 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston Bearkats were picked to finish fourth and four players were named to the preseason all-CUSA team, per a release from league officials Thursday afternoon.Â
The Kats are coming off claiming the 2023 WAC Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, Sam Houston's first NCAA regional since 2017. Now entering its first season in Conference USA, the Kats were picked to finish fourth in the nine-team league.Â
Despite being one of four newcomers to CUSA, Sam Houston's four selections were the second most in the league, behind only preseason favorite Dallas Baptist's five nods. Easton Loyd (2B), Jake Tatom (OF), Coltin Atkinson (SP) and Chandler David (RP) all were named to the preseason team.Â
David was a first-team all-WAC reliever in 2023 after going 6-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 30 appearances, while Atkinson was a second-team all-WAC starter after picking up nine wins and 70 strikeouts in 17 starts. He will enter his senior season with an 18-6 record and 173 strikeouts for his career.Â
Loyd is also set to enter his senior season coming off his most productive year at the plate in 2023 where he hit .274 along with career highs in runs (52), hits (68), doubles (12), home runs (7) and RBI (52). Â
Meanwhile, Tatom burst onto the scene last year as a true freshman and is set to make the move into the outfield for the Kats in 2024. He slashed .368/.521/.452 in 166 plate appearances in 2023, picking up 53 hits, 11 doubles, four triples, a homer and 26 RBI.Â
In the preseason poll, Dallas Baptist was the unanimous choice to claim the league crown, getting all nine first-place votes. Liberty was picked second and Louisiana Tech third. Picked behind the Kats were WKU, Middle Tennessee, Jax State, FIU and NM State. Â
The Patriots also swept the league's preseason superlatives as catcher Grant Jay was picked as the league's Player of the Year and right-hander Ryan Johnson was named the preseason Pitcher of the Year. Â
Sam Houston will open the 2024 season on February 16 when it hosts Oklahoma State out of the Big 12 in the first game of a three-game weekend series. The Kats will play three of its first four series in Huntsville before traveling to NM State for its first CUSA series of the year.Â
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SEASON TICKET INFOÂ
Season and single-game tickets for Bearkat Baseball are available through the Bearkat Ticket Office at 936-294-1729 or by visiting GoBearkats.com/tickets.Â
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2024 CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll (first-place votes)
1. Dallas Baptist (9) -- 81
2. Liberty -- 64
3. Louisiana Tech -- 60
4. Sam Houston -- 57
5. WKU -- 48
6. Middle Tennessee -- 29
7. Jax State -- 26
8. FIU -- 25
9. NM State -- 15Â Â
CUSA Baseball Preseason Player of the YearÂ
Grant Jay - Catcher - Dallas BaptistÂ
CUSA Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the YearÂ
Ryan Johnson - RHPÂ - Dallas BaptistÂ
CUSA Baseball Preseason All-Conference TeamÂ
C: Grant Jay - Dallas Baptist (SO)
INF: Miguel Santos - Dallas Baptist (SR)
INF: Derrick Jackson - Jax State (SR)
INF: Cam Foster - Liberty (JR)
INF: Aiden Sweatt - Liberty (SR)
INF: Easton Loyd - Sam Houston (SR)
OF: Nathan Humphreys - Dallas Baptist (JR)
OF: Keith Jones - NM State (SR)
OF: Jake Tatom - Sam Houston (SO)
DH: Ethan Mann - Dallas Baptist (R-SR)
UTL: Ethan Bates - LA Tech (SR)
SP: Ryan Johnson - Dallas Baptist (JR)
SP: Garrett Horn - Liberty (JR)
SP: Coltin Atkinson - Sam Houston (SR)
SP: Lane Diuguid - WKU (SR)
SP: Dawson Hall - WKU (SO)
RP: Chandler David - Sam Houston (SR)
RP: Mason Burns - WKU (SR)
