Smith Named to All-AAC Preseason Team
12/28/2023 5:03:00 PM | Baseball
Coaches place Owls seventh
Parker Smith has been named to the 2024 American Athletic Conference preseason all-conference team in voting by AAC baseball coaches and announced on Thursday.
Smith was a first-team, All-Conference USA selection last year in a breakout sophomore season, finishing the regular season ranked second in C-USA with a 2.75 ERA, tied for second in innings (85), and fifth in strikeouts (80), strikeouts looking (26), and opponent's batting average (.231). He made 15 consecutive starts, 14 as the series opener, the most by an Owl since Matt Canterino started 15 straight in 2019. He became the first Owl since 2019 to be named C-USA Pitcher of the Week for his 1-0 win at Florida Atlantic on March 30 when he worked a career-best 8.2 innings and struck out a career-high nine to combine on the first home conference shutout against FAU since 2017. He was named to the 2023 Shriners College Classic All-Tournament team after he tossed six shutout innings against #15 Texas Tech.
Conference coaches slotted the Owls eighth in their preseason voting. East Carolina garnered eight of nine first-place votes to earn the preseason nod, followed by Charlotte, UTSA, Florida Atlantic, South Florida (which received the other first-place vote), Memphis, Wichita State, Rice, Tulane and UAB.
The countdown to the start of the 2024 Rice baseball season kicks off with the annual Fan Fest at Reckling Park on Sunday, January 28. Final details will be in advance shortly after the new year, but fans are asked to RSVP online in advance.
The 2024 Owls kick off their 31-game home schedule on February 16 with an exciting three-game series against perennial NCAA Regional participant Notre Dame. The non-conference lineup includes weekend series against 2023 CWS participant Stanford and crosstown rival Houston Christian, as well as weeknight clashes 2023 NCAA champion LSU, Sam Houston, Prairie View A&M, Houston, Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Lamar, and Texas Southern.
Rice begins its inaugural season of AAC play with a three-game series against Tulane at Reckling Park on March 22. The Owls will also host weekend series with Memphis, UAB, and UTSA before concluding the home schedule with a thrilling three-game series against Florida Atlantic.
Season tickets for the Owls' inaugural season in The American are currently on sale.
Smith was a first-team, All-Conference USA selection last year in a breakout sophomore season, finishing the regular season ranked second in C-USA with a 2.75 ERA, tied for second in innings (85), and fifth in strikeouts (80), strikeouts looking (26), and opponent's batting average (.231). He made 15 consecutive starts, 14 as the series opener, the most by an Owl since Matt Canterino started 15 straight in 2019. He became the first Owl since 2019 to be named C-USA Pitcher of the Week for his 1-0 win at Florida Atlantic on March 30 when he worked a career-best 8.2 innings and struck out a career-high nine to combine on the first home conference shutout against FAU since 2017. He was named to the 2023 Shriners College Classic All-Tournament team after he tossed six shutout innings against #15 Texas Tech.
Conference coaches slotted the Owls eighth in their preseason voting. East Carolina garnered eight of nine first-place votes to earn the preseason nod, followed by Charlotte, UTSA, Florida Atlantic, South Florida (which received the other first-place vote), Memphis, Wichita State, Rice, Tulane and UAB.
The countdown to the start of the 2024 Rice baseball season kicks off with the annual Fan Fest at Reckling Park on Sunday, January 28. Final details will be in advance shortly after the new year, but fans are asked to RSVP online in advance.
The 2024 Owls kick off their 31-game home schedule on February 16 with an exciting three-game series against perennial NCAA Regional participant Notre Dame. The non-conference lineup includes weekend series against 2023 CWS participant Stanford and crosstown rival Houston Christian, as well as weeknight clashes 2023 NCAA champion LSU, Sam Houston, Prairie View A&M, Houston, Incarnate Word, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Lamar, and Texas Southern.
Rice begins its inaugural season of AAC play with a three-game series against Tulane at Reckling Park on March 22. The Owls will also host weekend series with Memphis, UAB, and UTSA before concluding the home schedule with a thrilling three-game series against Florida Atlantic.
Season tickets for the Owls' inaugural season in The American are currently on sale.
Players Mentioned
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