CARY, N.C. – Coastal Carolina junior Derek Bender was one of 55 players announced to the 2024 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list, it was announced today, beginning the process of identifying the top amateur baseball player in the country for the 2024 season. 
 
Bender is the seventh Chanticleer to be named to the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list, joining David Sappelt (2008), Scott Woodward (2009 and 2010), Cody Wheeler (2010), Anthony Meo (2011), Andrew Beckwith (2017), and Parker Chavers (2021).
 
Bender was a 2023 NCBWA Division I All-America and ABCA/Rawlings All-America last season and named to the 2024 NCWBA Preseason All-America Team, while also being the only player from the Sun Belt Conference to be named to the list.
 
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.
 
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award in 2024. Baseball fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com, beginning on May 20 with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 5, and fan voting will once again open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 21.
 
The 2024 Golden Spikes Award timeline is as follows:

• April 4: Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List announced
• May 20: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 3: Golden Spikes Award semifinalists fan voting ends
• June 5: Golden Spikes Award finalists announced, and fan voting begins
• June 21: Golden Spikes Award finalists' fan voting ends
• June 23: Golden Spikes Award winner announced

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.