WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Coming off a No. 20 preseason ranking from Collegiate Baseball News (CBN) and third-place projection in the Sunshine State Conference Coaches Poll, the Nova Southeastern baseball team was named as the No. 4 team in the preseason South Region Rankings. The poll was conducted by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), also naming Samuel Duran and Brady Acker to All-Region teams.
 
Already named to the CBN All-America team, Duran was named first team All-South Region by the NCBWA. The Melbourne, Fla. senior outfielder is a serious Gold Glove candidate and hit .384 as a junior, recording 33 RBI and 44 runs off a team third-most 63 hits, including a team-high 14 doubles, five home runs, three triples and 13 steals. Defensively, Duran logged 85 putouts to top all outfielders, committing just one error in the process. Duran received All-Region honorable mention last season.
 
Also making an appearance on the NCBWA All-South Region second team, Acker tossed 14 starts for the Sharks last season. The Coral Springs, Fla. senior right-handed pitcher went 6-1 with a 4.19 ERA, striking out 90 in 77.1 innings with a 3.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio, notching one complete game.
 
Preseason SSC No. 1, Tampa was picked as the top team in the South Region with consensus first-place voting. Florida Southern and Mississippi College both preceded NSU in the poll.
 
The Sharks kick off the 2019 slate on February 1-2 with Tusculum and then Catawba coming to the NSU Baseball Complex.