Big South Baseball Among Preseason National Honors
As the 2026 season begins, Big South baseball has received preseason national recognition from the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), as the organization announced its Preseason All-America Team and Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List. Below are the honors bestowed upon the conference
NCBWA PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM (1)
Johnny Sweeney, USC Upstate (2nd Team)
Named American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings First Team All-American ... Named ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region ... Named a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist … Named First Team All-Big South … Named Big South Player of the Week on 3/24/25; 4/7/25; and 5/5/25 … Appeared in 57 games, making 57 starts … Posted a three-slash line of .345/.500/.701 … Collected 60 runs, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 18 home runs, and 82 RBI … Drew 42 walks and 21 HBP … Stole three bases in as many attempts … Recorded a career-high four hits on three occasions: versus NC State on 3/25/25; versus High Point on 4/4/25; and versus Gardner-Webb on 4/27/25 … Collected a career-high seven RBI on two occasions: versus NC State on 3/25/25 and versus Longwood on 5/3/25 … Recorded 19 multi-hit and 18 multi-RBI games … Posted a career-long 10-game hitting streak and a career-long 19-game reached base streak ... Set the single-season program mark for RBI (82) ... Set the single-season Division I era (2007-pres.) marks for RBI (82), walks (42), and on-base percentage (.500) ... Concluded the season on a two-game reached base streak.
NCBWA PRESEASON STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST (6)
Max Bianchini, USC Upstate
Named Honorable Mention All-Big South … Named Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week on 4/28/25 … Appeared in 24 games, making one start and 23 relief appearances … Tossed 50.0 innings, striking out 39 batters … Posted a 7.02 strikeout per nine innings total … Recorded a 5-3 record and one save with a 4.32 ERA and .254 opponents' batting average … Tossed a career-long 5.0 innings versus UNCG on 4/18/25 … Struck out a career-high four over 2.0 innings of work versus Charleston Southern on 3/23/25 … Recorded seven scoreless outings on the season … Made his USC Upstate debut with 3.0 innings of work out of the bullpen versus Boston College on 2/14/25.
Walker Brodt, Winthrop
Junior right-hander appeared in 30 games during the 2025 campaign, logging 44.0 innings of work while posting a 3-3 record with one save. He struck out 37 batters, finishing with a 7.36 ERA.
Shane Keup, Winthrop
Keup tossed 39.2 innings across 23 appearances for the Eagles, punching out 38 batters while going 3-4 with two saves. The right-hander posted a 5.90 ERA during the 2024-25 campaign.
Colby McNeely, Winthrop
McNeely is a new face for the Eagles, transferring over from Rider, logged 28.1 innings over 15 appearances during the 2024-25 season, compiling a 1-1 record with four starts. He fanned 23 batters while posting a 7.31 ERA.
Ben Rehkow, Winthrop
Rehkow emerged as the Eagles' most effective reliever during the 2025 season, appearing in 20 games and posting three saves. He worked 28.0 innings while going 1-3 with a 4.82 ERA, striking out 23 batters and walking eight.
Harrison Wilson, Winthrop
Wilson compiled a 5-1 record over 58.1 innings during the 2025 campaign, making 29 appearances with 17 starts and eight complete games. The right-hander struck out 54 batters while posting a 5.09 ERA.