University of Richmond Athletics
Four Spiders Recognized In Perfect Game's Preseason A-10 Preview
02/16/2011 | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2011
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND - The Perfect Game national scouting service named junior C Chris Cowell and senior DH Billy Barber to its preseason All-Atlantic 10 team, while picking the Spiders sixth in their A-10 preseason poll. Richmond opens the season Friday at Duke.
Perfect Game also acknowledged Cowell and junior SS/2B Adam McConnell among 15 of the league's top 2011 Major League Draft prospects. Sophomore 3B/RHP Jacob Mayers was mentioned as one of five of the league's top draftable prospects for 2012.
Cowell returns as one of the A-10's top catchers, hitting .311 last season with team highs in home runs (17) and RBI (52) en route to Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors. The 6-4, 220-pound slugger has launched 20 homers with 70 RBI over his first two seasons as a Spider.
Barber did a little of everything for Richmond last season, leading the team in average (.372) and ERA (2.48), to go along with 11 homers, 49 RBI, 17 stolen bases, a 5-3 pitching record and four saves. He was a Second Team All-Conference pick last season and was one of 25 national finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award.
McConnell hit .288 last season and swiped a team-leading 21 bases. The junior has played 97 games in his first two seasons and his 52 career thefts rank ninth on Richmond's all-time list.
Mayers was the No. 1-prep player in Virginia out of nearby Hanover High and was the 2009 Virginia State Player of the Year. Entering his sophomore year, he is slated as a weekend starting pitcher and the team's starting third-baseman.
Fourth-year head coach Mark McQueen welcomes seven starting position players and two pitchers from a 2010 team that went 24-28.
