NORFOLK, Va., Feb. 5, 2021—
Norfolk State junior Alsander Womack was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Preseason Player of the Year and
North Carolina A&T State senior Michael Johnson was named Preseason Pitcher of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced today.
In addition, Norfolk State and North Carolina A&T State were selected as the preseason favorites to win the Northern and Southern Divisions, respectively.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Womack played in 16 games in an abbreviated 2020, hitting 284 with a team-high 10 RBIs. The 2020 Preseason Player of the Year hit .377 in 2019, second-best in the MEAC and 31
st in NCAA Div. I, while ranking third in on-base percentage (.444) and fifth in slugging (.503). His 63 hits were tied for seventh-most in the league that season, and he had 10 doubles, three home runs and 31 RBIs. Womack had least one hit in 36 of the Spartans’ 42 games in 2019, including a season-long 19-game hitting streak from Feb. 24-April 27. He was a driving force for the Spartans, who came within one game of their first MEAC Tournament title in 2019.
Johnson had a 2.77 ERA in five starts in the truncated 2020 season, striking out 20 in 26.0 innings pitched. The 2020 Preseason Pitcher of the Year as well, Johnson was fourth in the MEAC in ERA in 2019 at 3.22 and his 81.0 innings pitched that season ranked eighth in the conference. In 14 starts in 2019, Johnson’s 13 walks were tied for the fewest given up in the MEAC, and he was second on the team with 46 strikeouts. He threw a complete-game shutout on March 3, 2019 against the College of Charleston, and his 29 earned runs allowed were the sixth-fewest in the league.
With teams split into divisions this season to cut down on travel time and travel distance, as well as missed class time, Norfolk State was picked to win the three-team Northern Division with six first-place votes and 29 points. Coppin State (five first-place votes, 26 points) was picked to finish second, followed by Delaware State.
North Carolina A&T State racked up eight first-place votes and 32 points in being picked to win the Southern Division. Florida A&M, the last MEAC Tournament champion in 2019, was picked second with three first-place votes and 24 points.
North Carolina Central was picked to finish third.
Joining Womack and Johnson on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team are Coppin State outfielder Marcos Castillo; Delaware State outfielder Tyler Cunningham; Florida A&M third baseman Tristen Cooper; Norfolk State first baseman Mason Velasquez; North Carolina A&T State shortstop Dustin Baber, relief pitcher Leon Davidson, catcher Ryne Stanley and outfielder Camden Williamson; and North Carolina Central utility player Luis DeLeon and starting pitcher Ryan Miller.
The 2021 MEAC Baseball Championships will be held at Norfolk State University on May 20-22. Only the top two teams in each division will qualify for the tournament. Bethune-Cookman and Maryland Eastern Shore have opted out of the 2021 season and will not compete.
The 2021 MEAC baseball season begins the weekend of Feb. 19-21.
2021 MEAC Baseball Preseason All-Conference Teams
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
Preseason Player of the Year: Alsander Womack, Norfolk State
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Michael Johnson, North Carolina A&T State
FIRST TEAM
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Michael Johnson |
SP |
5-11 |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Lexington, N.C. |
| Ryan Miller |
SP |
6-2 |
r-So. |
North Carolina Central |
Blandon, Pa. |
| Leon Davidson |
RP |
6-0 |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Huntersville, N.C. |
| Ryne Stanley |
C |
6-0 |
r-Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
High Point, N.C. |
| Mason Velasquez |
1B |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Fairfax, Va. |
| Alsander Womack |
2B |
5-9 |
Sr. |
Norfolk State |
Waxhaw, N.C. |
| Tristen Cooper |
3B |
5-11 |
Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Ponifay, Ala. |
| Dustin Baber |
SS |
5-10 |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Babson Park, Fla. |
| Camden Williamson |
OF |
5-8 |
Sr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| Marcos Castillo |
OF |
6-1 |
r-Jr. |
Coppin State |
Round Rock, Texas |
| Tyler Cunningham |
OF |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Trenton, N.J. |
| Luis DeLeon |
UTL |
5-11 |
r-Jr. |
North Carolina Central |
Providence, R.I. |
SECOND TEAM
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Class |
School |
Hometown |
| Aaron Rea |
SP |
6-2 |
r-Sr. |
Coppin State |
Altamonte Springs, Fla. |
| Kyle Coleman |
SP |
6-7 |
Sr. |
Florida A&M |
St. Cloud, Fla. |
| Jeremiah McCollum |
RP |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Houston, Texas |
| Ty Hanchey |
C |
5-10 |
Jr. |
Norfolk State |
Norfolk, Va. |
| Krew Bouldin |
1B |
6-3 |
So. |
Delaware State |
Middletown, Del. |
| Connor Knapp |
2B |
5-10 |
So. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Holly Springs, N.C. |
| Toran Smith |
3B |
5-11 |
r-Jr. |
Coppin State |
Plainfield, N.J. |
| Eddie Javier |
SS |
6-1 |
So. |
Coppin State |
Bergenfield, N.J. |
| Jared Weber |
OF |
6-3 |
Jr. |
Florida A&M |
Wakulla, Fla. |
| Justin Rodriguez |
OF |
6-2 |
r-Jr. |
North Carolina A&T State |
Farmingdale, N.Y. |
| Seyjuan Lawrence |
OF |
5-8 |
Sr. |
Florida A&M |
Tampa, Fla. |
| Cole Garey |
UTL |
5-11 |
Sr. |
Delaware State |
Felton, Del. |
2021 MEAC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
NORTHERN DIVISION
| School (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Norfolk State (6) |
29 |
| 2. Coppin State (5) |
26 |
| 3. Delaware State (1) |
17 |
SOUTHERN DIVISION
| School (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. North Carolina A&T State (8) |
32 |
| 2. Florida A&M (3) |
24 |
| 3. North Carolina Central (1) |
16 |