IRVING, Texas – East Carolina has been picked as the preseason favorite in the 2026 American Conference Baseball Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
East Carolina junior Ethan Norby was unanimously selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year and Charlotte junior third baseman Dawson Bryce was tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year.
The Pirates, the 2025 American Baseball Championship winners, earned four first-place votes and a total of 75 points to be named the preseason favorite. The 2025 American regular season champion UTSA Roadrunners also earned four first-place votes and a total of 70 points to be picked second. Charlotte (3
rd – 62 points) and Tulane (4
th – 57 points) each earned one first-place vote. South Florida was picked fifth with 54 points, followed by Florida Atlantic (45), Rice (28), Wichita State (24), Memphis (19) and UAB (16).
East Carolina won its fourth American Baseball Championship with an 8-2 win over Tulane in the final. UTSA finished 47-15 in 2025 and advanced to the Super Regionals after winning its first Regional in program history.
Norby went 8-5 last season with a 3.80 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 90.0 innings of work for the Pirates. Bryce hit .340 with 14 home runs and 53 RBI in 58 games for the 49ers last season.
The Roadrunners led all teams with four selections on the Preseason All-Conference Team. Norby was the lone unanimous selection.
Preseason Coaches Poll
| 1. |
East Carolina (4) |
75 |
| 2. |
UTSA (4) |
70 |
| 3. |
Charlotte (1) |
62 |
| 4. |
Tulane (1) |
57 |
| 5. |
South Florida |
54 |
| 6. |
Florida Atlantic |
45 |
| 7. |
Rice |
28 |
| 8. |
Wichita State |
24 |
| 9. |
Memphis |
19 |
| 10. |
UAB |
16 |
Note: First-place votes in parenthesis
Preseason Player of the Year
Dawson Bryce, Jr., 3B, Charlotte
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ethan Norby, Jr., East Carolina*
Preseason All-Conference Team
P – Andrew Kribbs, Sr., Charlotte
P – Ethan Norby, Jr., East Carolina*
P – Robert Orloski, Jr., UTSA
RP – Joseph Taylor, Jr., Charlotte
RP – Brayden Sanders, Gr., Memphis
RP – Connor Kelley, Sr., UTSA
C – Andrew Stucky, Sr., UTSA
1B – Austin Irby, So., East Carolina
2B – Shane Cox, Gr., Memphis
SS – Brando Leroux, Gr., Florida Atlantic
3B – Dawson Bryce, Jr., Charlotte
OF – Braden Burress, So., East Carolina
OF – Marshall Lipsey, Sr., Florida Atlantic*
OF – Drew Detlefsen, Sr., UTSA
OF – Jason Wachs, So., Tulane
DH – Matthias Haas, Gr., Tulane
* denotes unanimous selection