By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – While the preseason preparation for the 2014 season begins to wrap up as opening weekend approaches, honors and awards are still flowing in for the Tennessee Tech baseball team as five Golden Eagles were named to the College Sports Madness 2014 Ohio Valley Preseason All-Conference Teams.
Featured on the First Team are seniors Zach Stephens, Daniel Miles, and Brandon Thomasson and junior Dylan Bosheers, all of whom were also selected to the Preseason All-OVC Team last week.
Stephens, who was also tabbed the OVC Field Player of the Year by College Sports Madness, will lead the Golden Eagles into the 2014 season looking to build off last year's record-breaking success. Tech won a program-record 40 games while also setting the OVC record for most league wins in a season with 24. Stephens ranked in the top 10 of most batting categories in the OVC, finishing with a career-high 71 RBI and pounding out 15 more home runs, leaving him in sight of both the Tech and OVC career records for long balls.
Miles and Thomasson both became instant stars for the Golden Eagles squad after transferring in from JUCO programs. Both players crushed 12 dingers on the year while collecting multiple OVC Player of the Week honors. Miles also collected Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors from two sources as well as an All-American nod from CollegeBaseballInsider.com.
Bosheers started every game for the second straight year for the Golden Eagles, making the switch from second base to shortstop with relative ease. The junior smacked six homers and a team-high 20 doubles while upping his batting average over 50 points from his freshman season. A strong defender, he helped Tech set a new program record for fielding percentage with a mark of .979, shattering the previous record of .969.
Gathering Second-Team honors is second baseman Zach Zarzour, another senior who enjoyed a breakout 2013 season after transferring from a JUCO program. Also named to the Preseason All-OVC Team last week, Zarzour returns as the lead-off hitter for the Tech squad after finishing second on the team in stolen bases last year with 13 swipes.
The Golden Eagle baseball team will open its 2014 season on Friday, Feb. 14, with the first of a three-game series at 2013 NCAA Tournament participant South Alabama.
