Baseball Picked Fourth in C-USA Preseason Poll as Gregory Named to All-Conference Team

DALLAS – The Old Dominion baseball team was picked to finish fourth, while junior Hunter Gregory was named to the All-Conference Team as chosen by the league's 12 head coaches in the 2020 preseason baseball poll.

Last season, ODU finished fifth in the league standings while the Monarchs went 35-21 and a 16-14 mark in conference play after starting C-USA action 1-9. After failing to qualify for the C-USA tournament in 2018, ODU bounced back to earn the No. 5 seed. Head coach Chris Finwood guided ODU to a 19-5 non-conference mark and a 11-2 midweek record.  
 
In 2019, Gregory tied for the team lead with 28 appearances, all but one out of the bullpen. The Monarch pitcher had a team-best 7-3 record with a 4.05 ERA and two saves, while posting a team-high 85 strikeouts and walked 24. In the Monarchs win against High Point, the Virginia native pitched four scoreless innings to earn the save. He also struck out a career-high eight in 4.1 innings at Southern Miss, allowing three hits and two runs. Last season, Gregory had a scoreless streak spanning 9.2 innings over five appearances against East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Virginia Tech and LA Tech twice.

The 2020 Conference USA baseball season begins Friday, February 14.
 
2020 PRESEASON BASEBALL AWARDS
(as selected by C-USA's head coaches)
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1.         Southern Miss (6)                  
2.         Florida Atlantic (4)
3.         Louisiana Tech
4.         Old Dominion
5.         Rice (1)
6.         FIU (1)
7.         WKU
8.         UAB
9.         UTSA
10.       Marshall
11.       Charlotte
12.       Middle Tennessee
   (first place votes in parentheses)
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trei Cruz, Rice (Junior, IF)
 
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Logan Allen, FIU (Junior, LHP)
 
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
SP        Logan Allen, So. - FIU
SP        Hunter Gregory, Jr. - Old Dominion
SP        Walker Powell, Jr. - Southern Miss
RP        Colby Bruce, Sr. - Charlotte
C          Nick Thornquist, Sr. - UTSA
IF         Trei Cruz, Jr. - Rice
IF         Matt Guidry, Sr. - Southern Miss
IF         Andru Summerall, RJr. -  Florida Atlantic
IF         Francisco Urbaez, Sr. - Florida Atlantic
IF         Taylor Young, Jr. - Louisiana Tech
OF        Zach Davis, RSr. - UAB
OF        Bobby Morgensen, Sr. - Florida Atlantic
OF        Gabe Montenegro, Jr. - Southern Miss
DH/UT Richard Constantine, Sr. - WKU