University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Burnett Named Big South Preseason Player of the Year
01.25.2024 | Baseball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the first time in program history, a member of the UNC Asheville baseball team has been named the Big South Conference Preseason Player of the Year, as Robbie Burnett has earned the honor of top preseason player in the league. The Big South made the announcement Thursday (Jan. 25).
Perfect Game also tabbed Burnett as the Preseason Player of the Year in their conference preview.
Joining Burnett on the Preseason All-Conference team is fifth-year senior Dylan Bacot and senior Justin Honeycutt. This is the first year the Big South has had a Preseason All-Conference team, as in years prior, the league has only recognized a Preseason Player and Pitcher of the Year.Â
The league also released the preseason rankings, with Asheville tied for fourth with Winthrop.Â
A two-time All-Big South honoree (First-Team in 2023, Honorable Mention in 2022), Burnett led Asheville last season with a .379 batting average to go with 13 home runs and 35 RBI. He stole 11 bases, scored 48 runs, and drew 24 walks for a .486 on-base percentage. Burnett's knack for getting on base sparked a 33-game on-base streak in 2023, and he collected 21 multi-hit performances during his sophomore season. Burnett hit .398 in 21 Big South games a year ago with six doubles, two triples, seven homers, a .490 on-base percentage, and a .771 slugging clip. He received five first-place votes and 22 points in the preseason voting.
Bacot played and started in all 52 games for Asheville, finishing with a .337 batting average, .999 ops, 51 runs, 68 hits, 18 doubles, nine home runs, and 59 RBIs. In the outfield, Bacot recorded 88 chances, 84 putouts, two assists, and two errors for a .977 fielding percentage.Â
Honeycutt finished the 2023 season with a 4.67 ERA in 61.2 innings pitched. Honeycutt went 4-2, earned one save, and made 17 appearances and six starts. Honeycutt gave up 56 hits, 36 runs (32 earned), 26 walks, struck out 33, and finished with a 1.33 WHIP.Â
"Congrats to Robbie, Justin, and Dylan on their recognitions," Head Coach Scott Friedholm said. "Preseason awards mean you had a good year last year. We need 38 guys competing each day to give us a chance to compete and win the Big South Tournament at the end of May. That is the ultimate award for our team."Â
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OF Robbie Burnett, Jr., UNC Asheville
OF Brett Ahalt, R-Jr., High Point
OF Daniel Gernon, R-Sr., USC Upstate
OF Dylan Bacot, 5th Year, UNC Asheville
INF Grant Sherrod, R-Sr., USC Upstate
INF Brody Fahr, Sr., Presbyterian
INF Cael Chatham, Gr., High Point
INF Alec Burns, Gr., Gardner-Webb
INF Adam Stuart, R-Sr., High Point
CÂ Nicholas Badillo, Soph., Winthrop
DH Jace Rinehart, Jr., USC Upstate
UTL Â Â Noah Sullivan, Jr., USC Upstate
SP Gus Hughes, Sr., High Point
SP Henry Proger, Sr., USC Upstate
SP Mathieu Curtis, Soph., USC Upstate
SP Ethan Walker, Soph., Longwood
RP Jake Cubbler, R-Jr., USC Upstate
RP Tanner Smith, 5th Year, Presbyterian
RP Justin Honeycutt, Sr., UNC Asheville
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Robbie Burnett, OF, Jr., UNC Asheville
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PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Gus Hughes, SP, Sr., High Point
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2024 BIG SOUTH BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL
|
Rk - School (first-place votes) |
Points |
|
1 - USC Upstate (7) |
79 |
|
2 - Gardner-Webb |
61 |
|
3 - High Point |
50 |
|
T-4 - Winthrop (1) |
49 |
|
T-4 - UNC Asheville |
49 |
|
6 - Presbyterian College |
39 |
|
7 - Charleston Southern |
32 |
|
8 - Longwood |
27 |
|
9 - Radford (1) |
19 |
The 2024 baseball season begins Friday, Feb. 16, with Asheville traveling to face the University of Georgia. The first Big South conference weekend is March 15-17. The top four teams in the final conference standings will advance to the Big South Baseball Championship, held May 23-25 at Truist Point in High Point, N.C. The champion receives the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
