BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell seniors
Benjamin Barton and
Austin Kraisser have been named 2020-21 Preseason All-Southern Conference, announced today by the league office.
The 2019 SoCon Champion at 157 pounds, Barton went 3-2 in 2019-20 in an injury-shortened season, going 2-2 at the Southern Scuffle. Barton was 8-5 overall in 2018-19, including a 4-1 mark in SoCon duals.
Also named Preseason All-SoCon at 165 pounds, Kraisser has made the conference tournament podium three times in two different weight classes in his career, including a runner-up finish at 174 pounds last season. Kraisser was 26-9 overall in 2019-20 with a 6-2 dual mark and a 5-2 SoCon ledger. He also earned the 2020 SoCon Pinnacle Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on the championship winning team.
The SoCon champions in three of the last four seasons, Campbell was narrowly picked second in the conference's preseason coaches' poll with 57 points, including two first place nods, coming in behind Appalachian State's 61 points and six first place votes.
Chattanooga (53 points) collected the poll's only remaining first place vote, picked third, followed by Gardner-Webb (40), Davidson (32), The Citadel (29), VMI (21), Bellarmine (17) and Presbyterian (12).
The Camels begin the 2020-21 season on the road at No. 12 North Carolina on Friday, January 1.
Last season, Campbell finished the regular season at 11-2 overall and a perfect 7-0 in SoCon duals, winning its final nine matchups, including all seven conference bouts. Additionally, five Camels earned All-American status from the NWCA.
Five Camels claimed individual SoCon titles at the 2020 conference championship, helping secure Campbell's second straight and third SoCon tournament championship in four years (2017, 2019, 2020). CU's six NCAA qualifiers tied a school record (2019).
Campbell, ranking as high as No. 12 in the country (InterMat), completed a sweep of the SoCon's regular season with a 35-13 win at Davidson on February 23, claiming its second straight league dual championship.
