East Carolina has been selected as the preseason favorite for 2023 AAC baseball

IRVING, Texas After capturing both the regular season and tournament titles in the American Athletic Conference a season ago, East Carolina topped the 2023 Preseason Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday afternoon.

The Pirates, the three-time defending AAC regular season champions, have been ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll five straight times and a total of six times since joining the league. ECU received 49 points and seven first-place votes, while Houston was second with 39 points and UCF third with 38 points. South Florida received the only other first-place vote.

The reigning American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Carter Spivey named 2023 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, joining the likes of Evan Kruczynski (2017) Jake Kuchmaner (2020) and Carson Whisenhunt (2022). Both Spivey and Jacob Jenkins-Cowart was a unanimous selection to the All-AAC Preseason Team, while Spivey was recently selected as well College baseball Preseason All-America Second Team.

Spivey posted a sparkling 8-0 record and 2.83 earned run average in 2022 with 76 strikeouts and 19 walks in 76.1 innings and five saves. He ranked eighth nationally in appearances (35), 47th in wins and 54th in ERA while pacing the AAC in earned run average, wins, earned runs allowed (20) and doubles allowed (6). Spivey also ranked second in appearances and fourth in opponent batting average (.245).

A key cog in the Pirates’ postseason run that culminated in ECU hosting a Super Regional for the first time in program history, Spivey went 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in the NCAA Greenville Regional and added seven strikeouts in seven innings. .214 opposing batting average. He pitched five innings in the regional title game against Coastal Carolina and struck out five with no walks in the Pirates’ 13-4 victory.

For his efforts in the 2022 season, Spivey garnered a number of accolades, including accolades College baseball All-America Third Team, ABCA All-Atlantic Region Team, All-AAC First Team and NCAA Greenville All-Regional Team. He was also chosen as a finalist in the competition NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award.

Jenkins-Cowart enjoyed quite the debut campaign in the Purple and Gold, hitting .330 with a team-best 65 RBI and 44 runs, 10 doubles, 13 home runs, 16 walks, six stolen bases and one . 549 slugging percentage. He also ranked in the top five all-time among ECU freshmen in single-season games, hits, runs scored, hits, batting average, RBIs, home runs, total games (128) and stolen bases.

Jenkins-Cowart kicked it into high gear in the postseason, leading the team to a conference tournament title and being named the AAC Baseball Championship MVP. During the Greenville Regional and Greenville Super Regional, he hit .360 with four runs and 13 RBI, earning selection to the NCAA’s Greenville All-Regional team. Jenkins-Cowart ended the year by collecting the place D1 Baseball Freshman All-America Team.

East Carolina, which ranked 20th College baseball Preseason Fabulous 50 Poll, opens the 2023 campaign from 17-19. February for a three-game series against George Washington at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

2023 AAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. East Carolina (7) 49 points

2. Houston 39 points
3. UCF 38 points
4. Tulane 26 points
5. Wichita State 24 points
6. South Florida (1) 21 points
7. Cincinnati 19 points
8. Memphis 9 points

2023 AAC Baseball Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year

Brock Rodden, Junior, 2B, Wichita State

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Carter SpiveySenior, RHP, East Carolina *

Preseason All-Conference Team

P Ben Vespi, Junior, UCF
P Carter SpiveySenior, East Carolina *

P Dylan Carmouche, Junior, Tulane
P Cameron Bye, Junior, Wichita State
RP Kyle Kramer, Redshirt Senior, UCF
C Anthony Tulimero, Redshirt Junior, Houston
1B Ryan Nicholson, Redshirt Junior, Cincinnati
2B Brock Rodden, Junior, Wichita State *
SS Ian McMillan, Redshirt Senior, Houston *
3B Zach Arnold, Redshirt Junior, Houston
OF Jacob Jenkins-CowartSophomore, East Carolina *

OF Drew Brutcher, Junior, South Florida
Chuck Ingram, Junior, Wichita State
DH Payton Tolle, Sophomore, Wichita State

* Unanimous choice