By Marty Gordon
Led by five selections from Wake Forest and three from Virginia Tech, 16 Atlantic Coast Conference players were named as Preseason All-Americans by Perfect Game on Thursday.
The ACC contingent includes four first-team selections in Virginia third baseman Jake Gelof, North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt, Wake Forest starting pitcher Rhett Lowder, and Miami reliever Andrew Walters. Nine ACC squads had at least one player selected first-, second- or third-team. Wake Forest’s five total selections are the most of any school.
The season opens for all Division I teams on Friday, Feb. 17. ACC teams wrap up regular-season play on Saturday, May 20, with the ACC Baseball Championship set for May 23-28 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.
Perfect Game 2023 Preseason All-America Team
First Team
RHP – Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest
RP – Andrew Walters, Miami
3B – Jake Gelof, Virginia
OF – Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
Second team
1B -Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
DH – Brock Wilken, Wake Forest
OF – Jack Hurley, Virginia Tech.
RP – Wyatt Crowell, Florida State
Third team
C – Cooper Ingle, Clemson
3B – Yohandy Morales, Miami
IF – Carson DiMartini, Virgiina Tech
OF – Travis Honeyman, Boston College
DH – LuJames Groover III, NC State
SP – Drue Hackenberg , Virginia Tech
SP – Teddy McGraw, Wake Forest
RP – Camden Minacci, Wake Forest
Perfect Game 2023 Preseason Rankings
5. Wake Forest
7. Louisville
9. Miami
13. North Carolina
15. Virginia Tech
19. Virginia
21. NC State
Collegiate Baseball 2023 Preseason Rankings
6. Louisville
8. Miami
10. Wake Forest
11. North Carolina
16. Virginia
23. Georgia Tech
28. Virginia Tech
- NC State
32. Florida State
42. Clemson
Collegiate Baseball 2023 Preseason All-America Team
First Team
RHP – Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest
RP – Andrew Walters, Miami
3B – Jake Gelof, Virginia
OF – Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
Second team
C – Jack Payton, Louisville
3B – Yohandy Morales, Miami
3B – Brock Wilken, Wake Forest
OF – Jack Hurley, Virginia Tech.
Third team
RHP – Drue Hackenberg, Virginia Tech.
Big South Sweepstakes
The Big South Conference has announced the return of its annual Big South Sweepstakes, presented by Hercules Tires, Pepsi, and Sunbelt Rentals. One lucky fan will receive a fabulous grand prize at the conclusion of the 2023 Hercules Tires Big South Basketball Championships in March.
Now in its 21st year, the Big South Sweepstakes is an opportunity to give back to fans who have supported the conference throughout the basketball season. All fans can enter the contest once per day as of Jan. 5, 2023. In addition to entering online, fans will also have a chance to register in-person during the inaugural Big South Basketball Championship Trophy Tour visiting each campus this season. The Trophy Tour will stop in Radford on Sat., Jan. 21.
Ten finalists for the sweepstakes will be randomly selected, and each will receive an exclusive prize package. At the Hercules Tires Big South Basketball Championships, one of the finalists will be awarded the grand prize featuring a set of Hercules Tires, two Mountain Dew camping chairs, a $1,000 AIRBNB gift card provided by Sunbelt Rentals, and a special Big South prize pack.
To determine the grand prize winner, each of the 10 Big South Conference men’s basketball teams competing for the conference championship will be randomly assigned to represent one of the 10 finalists. The grand prize winner will be the finalist paired with the Big South institution that wins the nationally televised 2023 Men’s Basketball Championship game on Sunday, March 5.
For more information on the 2023 Big Sweepstakes,visit www.bigsouthsports.com/sweepstakes.