Preseason Player of the Year Phillip Ervin of Samford and Preseason Pitcher of the Year Matt Pegler of College of Charleston highlight the 2013 Preseason All-

Southern Conference teams, selected by the league’s 11 head coaches and announced by the league Thursday. Nine of the 11 league schools placed at least one student-athlete on either the first or second teams. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. Western Carolina had a league-best five selections, while Elon and Samford had four each. Appalachian State and Elon shared SoCon-best honors with three selections each on the first team. Ervin, a junior outfielder for the Bulldogs, has earned Preseason All-America honors from several media outlets, including a first-team nod from Baseball America. The Leroy, Ala., native started all 64 games for Samford last season, hitting .327 with 10 home runs, a team-best 18 doubles and 52 RBI. Ervin also led the Bulldogs in stolen bases with 16 in 21 attempts and was a first-team All-SoCon pick by the coaches. He earned All-SoCon Tournament honors in helping the Bulldogs win a school-record 41 games and their first-ever SoCon title en route to their first NCAA appearance. Pegler was the coaches’ overwhelming pick for Preseason Pitcher of the Year, earning the maximum number of first-place votes. The senior right-hander went 10-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 2012, striking out 66 batters and walking just 13. He allowed just a league-low .221 batting average and just 19 extra-base hits in 89 innings of work. Pegler, a Greenville, S.C., native, helped the Cougars to a 38-22 overall record and a 22-9 SoCon mark to share the league’s regular-season title. He was a second-team All-SoCon pick by the conference’s media in 2012 and helped CofC to an at-large NCAA bid. Ervin was joined on the first-team by Samford teammate C.K. Irby at designated hitter, while Pegler’s teammate Bandon Murray earned a first-team spot in the outfield. Elon was represented on the first team by starting pitcher Dylan Clark, catcher Alex Swim and first baseman Ryan Kinsella. Appalachian State saw its middle infield earn first-team honors, with second baseman Hector Crespo and shortstop Will Callaway earning spots. The Mountaineers’ Tyler Zupcic rounded out the first-team outfield. Western Carolina relief pitcher Preston Hatcher and UNCG third baseman Trevor Edwards complete the first team.  Pegler, Swim and Callaway each received the maximum number of first-place votes at their positions. Western Carolina put a league-high four players on the second team in first baseman Tyler White, shortstop Aaron Attaway, outfielder Julian Ridings and designated hitter Jacob Hoyle. Georgia Southern and Samford had two each, with catcher Chase Griffin and outfielder Scooter Williams representing the Eagles and second baseman Zeth Stone and starting pitcher Irby, the first-team DH, representing the Bulldogs. College of Charleston third baseman Bradley Goodson, Elon relief pitcher Nate Young, Furman outfielder Will Muzika and Wofford starting pitcher Brandon Yarusi complete the second team. The 2013 season opens for all 11 league teams on Friday, Feb. 15. This season’s SoCon tournament returns to Greenville, S.C., and will be played at Fluor Field from May 22-26. 

2013 Preseason All-Southern Conference
Preseason Player of the Year
Phillip Ervin, Jr., OF, Samford
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Matt Pegler, Sr., RHP, College of Charleston

First Team
SP Matt Pegler, College of Charleston
SP Dylan Clark, Elon
RP Preston Hatcher, Western Carolina
C  Alex Swim, Elon
1B Ryan Kinsella, Elon
2B Hector Crespo, Appalachian State
SS Will Callaway, Appalachian State
3B Trevor Edwards, UNCG
OF Tyler Zupcic, Appalachian State
OF Brandon Murray, College of Charleston
OF Phillip Ervin, Samford
DH C.K. Irby, Samford

Second Team
SP C.K. Irby, Samford
SP Brandon Yarusi, Wofford
RP Nate Young, Elon
C  Chase Griffin, Georgia Southern
1B Tyler White, Western Carolina
2B Zeth Stone, Samford
SS Aaron Attaway, Western Carolina
3B Bradley Goodson, College of Charleston
OF Will Muzika, Furman
OF Scooter Williams, Georgia Southern
OF Julian Ridings, Western Carolina
DH Jacob Hoyle, Western Carolina

Photo Courtesy: Hector Crespo, ASU Athletics