The Bulls were tabbed sixth in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Poll.
TAMPA (January 3, 2023) – The American Athletic Conference has announced its Preseason All-Conference Team along with the preseason coaches poll ahead of the upcoming 2023 campaign. The University of South Florida was voted to finish sixth in the eight-team league by the coaches.
Junior Drew Brutcher headlined the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team. Brutcher, a 2021 Freshman All-American, was tabbed to the Preseason All-Conference Team for the second year in a row.
One of the best five-tool players in the country, Brutcher has batted .297 with 15 doubles, 21 homers and 57 RBI over the past two seasons, despite missing significant time with injury in each of the last two years. Over 75 total games, he has totaled 60 walks with a .436 OBP and slugged .582.
Brutcher ranked 29th in the NCAA in walks per game last season and 77th in home runs per game.
Brutcher leads a group of 19 returning players from USF’s 2022 squad, including eight positions players and 11 pitchers.
Coming off the program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional in 2021, expectations were high for the Bulls in 2022. South Florida got off to a solid 18-7 start to the season during non-conference play a year ago before injuries plagued the roster over the final two months of the season.
The Bulls recently announced their full 2023 schedule, which includes 32 homes games and six series against teams that reached the NCAA Regional last season. USF opens the 2023 slate at home for a three-game series against Maryland on February 17-19. The Terrapins were a regional host last year.
Double play passes are on sale now for the low cost of $75. A 2023 Double Play Pass includes a ticket to every home baseball and softball game this season. Single-game tickets will go on sale in early January.
2023 American Preseason Coaches Poll
East Carolina (7) – 49
Houston – 39
UCF – 38
Tulane – 26
Wichita State – 24
South Florida (1) – 21
Cincinnati – 19
Memphis – 8
First-place votes in parenthesis
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 58th season in 2023 under head coach Billy Mohl (sixth season). The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four since 2015, and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF was ranked in the Top 25 by five different publications in the final 2021 polls, checking in as high as No. 16. The Bulls have won five conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018, and 18 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Drew Brutcher and Carmine Lane in 2021. Four Bulls were selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Former 2018 first-round selection, Shane McClanahan, became the program’s first-ever MLB All-Star in 2022 and was the starting pitcher for the American League.
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