2009 NAIA Baseball Preseason All-America Team Announced

Nov. 7, 2008

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three members from Oklahoma City University highlight the 2009 NAIA Baseball Preseason All-America Team, announced today (Nov. 7). The three members are the most of any NAIA school on the list. 2008 National Champion Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) places one player, catcher and World Series Most Valuable Player Brian Ward, on the squad.

Of the 17 players on the team, 15 stand-outs will enter the 2009 season as a senior. There are six players that were recognized on the 2008 NAIA All-America First Team. Only one player, senior Jesse Bachman from Spring Arbor (Mich.), was on the 2008 NAIA Preseason All-America Team. The 6-0 pitcher is a two-time First-Team All-American and went 8-2 with a 2.43 ERA last season leading the Cougars to the NAIA World Series.

The Preseason All-America team is chosen by the NAIA All-America Selection Committee.

The NAIA Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll will be released on Nov. 11. For more information on NAIA baseball, click here.

2009 NAIA Preseason All-America Baseball Team (Nov. 7) – Sorted by Position

Name School Pos. Year Ht.

Josh Collazo* Oklahoma Baptist 1B Sr. 6-1

Hawkins Gebbers^ Biola (Calif.) 2B Sr. 6-2

Blake Kelley Rogers State (Okla.) SS Jr. 6-0

Brent Weaver* Oklahoma City 3B Sr. 6-1

Thomas Englehardt^ Fisher (Mass.) UT Sr. --

Julian Alvarez^ Lee (Tenn.) OF Sr. 6-3

Kevin Leslie^ Faulkner (Ala.) OF Sr. 5-11

Garrett Regan& Oklahoma City OF Jr. 6-4

Dan Higgins* St. Francis (Ill.) OF Sr. 6-2

Tyler Diamond* The Masters (Calif.) C Sr. 6-2

Brian Ward^ Lewis-Clark (Idaho) C Sr. 5-11

David Colopy* Ohio Dominican P Sr. 5-11

Jesse Bachman& Spring Arbor (Mich.) P Sr. 6-0

David Odquist& Oklahoma City P Sr. 6-6

Brent Ebinger& Lambuth (Tenn.) P Jr. 5-10

Pablo Lopez* Lee (Tenn.) RP Sr. 5-11

Tony Isbell& Dickinson State (N.D.) DH Sr. --

* 2008 All-America First Team

^ 2008 All-America Second Team

& 2008 All-America Honorable Mention