BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell baseball was picked to finish third in the CAA preseason coaches' poll, and Lawson Harrill, Grant Knipp and Chance Daquila each earned CAA preseason honors, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon.
Harrill and Knipp were named to the preseason All-CAA team, while Daquila received honorable mention recognition.
The Camels are entering their first year of competition in the CAA. Last season, the team won their second straight Big South tournament title and fourth of the past five seasons, advancing to the finals of the Columbia Regional.
Harrill was recently named a NCBWA preseason All-American, and he finished the 2023 season as the Big South Player of the Year. Harrill led the Camels last year in slugging percentage (.761), home runs (22) and RBI (69). His 69 RBI is the third-highest mark in program history. He is tenth on the career home runs list, and he'll be tied for first if he matches last season's total of 22.
Knipp is the lone catcher on the preseason conference squad. Last year, he was named first team All-Big South, slashing .278/.414/.572 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI, all while starting 53 games behind the plate for the Camels. His game-winning home run in the eighth inning of the Big South Championship game gave the Camels their seventh tournament title in school history.
Daquila led the Camels pitching staff last year with a 9-1 record in 14 starts. He recorded a 4.85 ERA and opposing batters hit .256 while he was on the mound. He is the only returning Camel who reached the minimum requirement last season of one inning pitched per game.
2024 CAA Baseball Preseason Poll
School (1st) Points
Northeastern (8) 118
UNCW (4) 110
Campbell 103
Charleston 89
Elon 77
Delaware 71
William & Mary 65
Stony Brook 48
Hofstra 47
NC A&T 30
Towson 22
Monmouth 12
2024 Preseason All-CAA Team
Player, School Pos. Cl. Hometown
Grant Knipp, Campbell C. Jr. Louisville, Ky.
Jac Croom, UNCW IF Sr. Wilmington, N.C.
Joey Lond, Delaware IF Sr. Doylestown, Pa.
Tyler MacGregor, Northeastern IF Gr. Peabody, Mass.
Cole Mathis, Charleston IF Jr. Cataula, Ga.
Tanner Thach, UNCW IF So. Belvidere, N.C.
Lawson Harrill, Campbell OF Sr. Shelby, N.C.
Cam Maldonado, Northeastern OF So. Wolcott, Conn.
Trevor Marsh, UNCW OF Sr. Asheboro, N.C.
Mike Sirota, Northeastern OF Jr. Broad Channel, N.Y.
Evan Fox, Stony Brook UT Sr. Ballston Spa, N.Y.
Alex Lane, Northeastern DH Gr. Andover, Mass.
Aiven Cabral, Northeastern SP So. Lynn, Mass.
Nate Knowles, William & Mary SP Jr. Arlington, Va.
Justin Mitrovich, Elon SP So. Yardley, Pa.
Zane Taylor, UNCW SP Jr. Franklinton, N.C.
Jake Gigliotti, Northeastern RP Sr. Paxton, Mass.
Carter Lovasz, William & Mary RP Jr. Midlothian, Va.
CAA Preseason Player of the Year: Mike Sirota, Northeastern
Honorable Mention: Canyon Brown, C, North Carolina A&T; Casey Bishop, IF, Towson; Bryce Frederick, IF, Towson; Dylan Palmer, IF, Hofstra; Brett Paulsen, IF, Stony Brook; Luke Wood, IF, Charleston; Matt Brown‐Eiring, OF, Stony Brook; Steve Harrington, OF, Hofstra; Trotter Harlan, IF/OF, Charleston; Will Kennedy, OF, Hofstra; Bryce Greenly, DH/P, Delaware; John Newton, DH, UNCW; Ryan Sprock, IF/P, Elon; Chance Daquila, SP, Campbell; RJ Sales, SP, UNCW; Wyatt Scotti, SP, Northeastern; Connor Kane, RP, UNCW
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