NEW ORLEANS, La. – Coastal Carolina junior Derek Bender, sophomore Caden Bodine, and graduate student Zach Beach were named to the 2024 Preseason All-Sun Belt team as announced by the league on Wednesday.
 
The Coastal Carolina baseball team was picked to finish first in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
The Chanticleers, who enter the season ranked as high as No. 18 in the national polls, received 12 first place votes and totaled 193 points overall to be tabbed as the preseason favorite, while Southern Miss was second with 173 points.
 
Troy was third with 164 points with Louisiana, who received the final two first place votes, being selected in fourth with 159 points. Texas State in fifth with 138 points, Old Dominion was fifth with 115 points, followed by Georgia Southern (99), South Alabama (98), Appalachian State (82), and James Madison (79).
 
Rounding out the preseason poll was Georgia State (78) in 11th, Marshall (34) in 12th, ULM (33) in 13th, and Arkansas State (25) in 14th.
 
In 62 games last season, Bender, a 2023 All-Sun Belt first-team selection, hit .341 with a total of 86 base hits on the season. He led the team with 83 RBIs, 19 home runs, 160 total bases, and a .635 slugging percentage. He was second on the team in hits and triples (2), fifth in runs scored (61), and sixth in doubles (13). His 83 RBIs led the Sun Belt Conference, while his 86 hits ranked fourth in hits, fifth in home runs, and 10th in slugging percentage.


A 2023 All-Sun Belt first-team selection, Bodine is the leading returner from the Chants' team a year ago in which he played in 56 games while starting in 55 as the catcher or designated hitter. He was second on the team in hitting at .367 average, third on the team with 79 hits and 17 doubles, and fifth with 11 home runs and 47 RBI. He was third on the team with a .609 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .546. His 65 runs scored ranked third on the team and the Sun Belt for the year. He struck out just 21 times in 215 plate appearances.
 
Beach was tabbed a 2023 All-Sun Belt second-team performer at first base, and was the power guy in the CCU lineup all season in 2023, with a 1.103 OPS, .650 slugging percentage, 13 home runs, seven doubles, and 51 RBIs on the year. The veteran hit .321 in the middle of the best offensive lineup on the season over 48 games and topped that by hitting .333 with a 1.122 OPS, .634 slugging percentage, eight home runs, and 34 RBIS in 29 conference games. He also posted a .488 on-base percentage and drew 25 walks in conference play, which also ranked in the top 10 in the SBC. He also proved his worth in the field, where he did not commit an error at first base over 299 chances, making 274 putouts and 25 assists. Beach was also part of 34 of the Chants' league-leading 54 double plays on the year.
 
The Chanticleers will open up the 2024 season with the annual Baseball at the Beach event on Feb. 16-18 at Springs Brooks Stadium.
 
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Player of the Year
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Niko Mazza, Southern Miss (Jr., SP – Madison, Miss.)
Billy Oldham, Southern Miss (Sr., SP – Brookfield, Conn.)
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Jr., SP – Dothan, Ala.)
Noah Manning, Troy (Sr., RP – Minooka, Ill.)
Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (So., C – Haddon Heights, N.J.)
Zack Beach, Coastal Carolina (Gr., 1B – Mechanicsville, Va.)
Chase Mora, Texas State (So., 2B – Tomball, Texas)
Kyle DeBarge, Louisiana (Jr., SS – Kinder, La.)
Jarrett Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., 3B – Savannah, Ga.)
CJ Boyd, App State (Sr., OF – Lewisville, N.C.)
Fenwick Trimble, James Madison (Jr., OF – Virginia Beach, Va.)
Shane Lewis, Troy (Jr., OF – Vicksburg, Miss.)
Derek Bender, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DH – Murrells Inlet, S.C.)
Sam Blancato, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., UT – Marietta, Ga.)
 
2024 SUN BELT CONFERENCE BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Coastal Carolina (12) – 193
2. Southern Miss – 173
3. Troy – 164
4. Louisiana (2) – 159
5. Texas State – 138
6. Old Dominion – 115
7. Georgia Southern – 99
8. South Alabama – 98
9. App State – 82
10. James Madison – 79
11. Georgia State – 78
12. Marshall – 34
13. ULM – 33
14. Arkansas State – 25
 
For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.