by TUCSON, Ariz. – University of South Alabama right-hander Kevin Hill (Muscogee Creek Nation) was recently named to the 2016 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America first team by Collegiate Baseball.
Hill earned All-American accolades last season from three different organizations after leading the Sun Belt Conference in ERA (1.73), wins (10), strikeouts (107), runs allowed (20) and opposing batting average (.208). He was named to the Louisville Slugger Division I All-American second team, also announced by Collegiate Baseball, and was a third-team selection by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings.
Hill was named the 2015 SBC Pitcher of the Year after tossing four complete games, all of which came in succession against Sun Belt opponents, and recorded two shutouts. He enters the 2016 campaign ranked 12th in career strikeouts (200) at USA. His 107 strikeouts last year ranks 12th on the single-season record list at South Alabama, with a minimum of 50 innings pitched, while his 1.73 ERA ranks as the ninth-lowest by a Jaguar in a single season.
“Kevin was outstanding last season,” head coach Mark Calvi said. “He competed every time he went out on the mound. He has a tremendous work ethic and will to succeed. He gave the team a chance to win every time he got the ball, and was certainly deserving of all of the accolades he received last season. We are looking for big things out of him again this season, and I know he expects the same out of himself.”
Also, South Alabama was ranked 37th in Collegiate Baseball‘s Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I preseason poll, which the organization recently released. The Jags were ranked as high as 29th by Collegiate Baseball last season, and entered the rankings on May 4.
USA will open the 2016 season at 6:30 p.m. Fri., Feb. 19, when it hosts Evansville at Stanky Field.
