Feb. 1, 2011

click here for coaches' WAC preseason poll

Wong, McFarland tabbed as top players in WAC

Junior second baseman Kolten Wong of Hawaii was named preseason Player of the Year and senior Blake McFarland of San Jose State was selected as preseason Pitcher of the Year in the Western Athletic Conference, in voting by the league’s head coaches and released by the conference office.

Wong batted .357 a season ago with 89 hits, 57 runs, 15 doubles and 40 RBI. He was joined on the preseason all-conference team by three teammates: senior DH Jeff Van Doornum, junior starting pitcher Matt Sisto and junior reliever Lenny Linsky.

McFarland was 7-4 in 2010 with an ERA of 3.62 and 71 strikeouts. Fellow Spartan Zack Jones, a sophomore reliever, also made the preseason all-conference squad.

There were seven Fresno State Bulldogs on the preseason all-WAC team: seniors Jordan Ribera (1B), Garrett Weber (SS), Danny Muno (3B) and starting pitcher Greg Gonzalez, and juniors Trent Garrison (C), Brennan Gowens (OF) and Dusty Robinson (OF)

The WAC will begin its 49th year of baseball on Friday, Feb. 18, as all seven teams will be in action. Conference series start April 8. The six-team WAC Tournament will be played May 25-28/29 at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.

WAC Preseason All-Conference Team

Pos. Name, Class, School
OF - Brennan Gowens, Jr., Fresno State
OF - Dusty Robinson, Jr., Fresno State
OF - Brian Barnett, Sr., Nevada
OF - Chace Perkins, Sr., New Mexico State
1B - Jordan Ribera, Sr., Fresno State
2B - Kolten Wong, Jr., Hawaii
SS - Garrett Weber, Sr., Fresno State
3B - Danny Muno, Sr., Fresno State
C - Trent Garrison, Jr., Fresno State
DH - Jeff Van Doornum, Sr., Hawaii
UT - Brock Stassi, Sr., Nevada
SP - Matt Sisto, Jr., Hawaii
SP - Greg Gonzalez, Sr., Fresno State
SP - Blake McFarland, Sr., San Jose State
RP - Zack Jones, So., San Jose State
RP - Lenny Linsky, Jr., Hawaii

Player of the Year: Kolten Wong, Jr., 2B, Hawaii
Pitcher of the Year: Blake McFarland, Sr., San Jose State