Bulls picked 2nd in Big East baseball, softball polls

Posted Jan 16, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Jan 16, 2009 at 02:11 PM

The University of South Florida’s baseball and softball teams were each picked to finish second in the Big East in the league’s preseason poll conducted by the conference coaches.

Also, USF sophomore OF Ryan Lockwood, of Jesuit, was named to the preseason All-Big East team. He was the only USF player selected. The league does not pick a preseason all-league team in softball.

The baseball team was picked to finish behind Louisville, while the softball team, the defending Big East regular season champions, was picked second behind DePaul.

2009 Big East Baseball Preseason Poll

Rk. Team Points
1. Louisville (11) 121
2. USF 103
3. Notre Dame 99
4. St. John’s (1) 93
5. Cincinnati   77
6. Connecticut 62
7. West Virginia 60
8. Rutgers 58
9. Seton Hall 49
10. Villanova 31
11. Pittsburgh 27
12. Georgetown 12

Preseason All-Big East team:
Pos.  Name, Class, School
LHP Justin Marks, Jr., Louisville
RHP Eric Maust, Jr., Notre Dame
RHP Michael Hill, Sr., Cincinnati
RHP John Folino, Sr., Connecticut
RHP Sean Black, Jr., Seton Hall
C Jeff Arnold, Jr., Louisville
1B Jaren Matthews, So., Rutgers
2B Jeremy Barnes, Sr., Notre Dame
3B Chris Dominguez, Jr., Louisville
SS Jedd Gyorko, So., West Virginia
OF Ryan Lockwood, So., USF
OF A.J. Pollock, Jr., Notre Dame
OF Cameron Satterwhite, Sr., Cincinnati
DH Chris Affinito, Sr., Seton Hall

Player of Year - Chris Dominguez, Jr., 3B, Louisville; Pitcher of Year - Justin Marks, Jr., LHP, Louisville

2009 Big East Softball Preseason Poll

Rk. Team Points
1. DePaul (9) 140
2. USF (4) 132
3. Louisville 116  
(tie) Notre Dame 116
5. UConn 102
6. Syracuse 81
7. Pittsburgh 70
8. Providence 67
9. Villanova 52
10. St. John’s 45
11. Rutgers 43
12. Seton Hall 35
13. *Georgetown 15
* Georgetown was not a Big East softball member in 2008.                       

First place votes in (parenthesis).