By Jim Dixon for D3baseball.com

Previews: || New England || New York || Mid-Atlantic || South || Mideast || Central || Midwest || West ||

Our second preview looks at the teams competing in the South Region. Follow D3baseball.com on Twitter for updates throughout the season.

Last year it was not the favorite in the South Region to make it to Appleton, but an unknown upstart in Shenandoah. The Hornets showed they belonged on the national stage but getting back will not easy. Last years favorite, Salisbury, is expected to battle Shenandoah to decide who emerge from the Fayetteville Regional to represent the South Region. Before Salisbury or Shenandoah can punch their ticket for Wisconsin, they will see competition in their own conference. York, Mary Washington and Wesley will compete with Salisbury for the automatic bid in the Capital AC. It will also not be easy for Shenandoah. As a member of one of the toughest conferences in D-III, the USA South, has potential conference winners in Methodist, N.C. Wesleyan and Christopher Newport. In NCAA playoff history only one ODAC, GSAC and SCAC team had made it to the final round (Hampden-Sydney in 2005) and the odds are this trend will continue.

New Faces:

Mike Stawski, Spalding: Mike Stawski, a former assistant coach at Webster for the past three seasons, has been named the new Head Baseball Coach for the Golden Eagles this summer. Stawski served as pitching coach those three seasons for a Webster squad that compiled a 90-44 record enroute to winning three league titles. "It has been my dream to obtain a head coaching position at the collegiate level, and I am grateful to Spalding for this opportunity," said Stawski.

Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) : The CAC has qualified for a pool A bid this season for the first time and all compasses point towards this new automatic bid going to Salisbury. Eight conference championships in the last ten years with four in a row make the Sea Gulls the odds-on-favorites to earning the first poll A bid in conference history. The run that made Salisbury a perennial top ten team started in 2008 and with three players on the 2010 preseason D3baseball.com All-American team, the trend will continue. Named to the first team D3baseball.com preseason honor squad was first baseman Mike Celenza (.469, 57 RBI, .781 SLG%) and outfielder Andrew Miller (.406, 67R, 9 HR). Honorable mention preseason All-American Pitcher Kyle Judson (3.16 ERA, 9-0) will join Chad Wolfe (1.44, 6-1) for a formidable 1-2 combination on the mound.

An unheralded York program will be looking to return to the playoffs after earning a Pool B bid in 2009. Freshman sensation second baseman Dustin Worthman (.448, 25 R) and shortstop Kyle Cook (.376, 37R) to form a solid nucleus in the infield. With a senior led pitching staff, featuring Jason Christenberry (3.75, 8-3) and Chris Frankenfield (3.09, 3-2), York will have a shot at unseating the reigning conference champs.

Mary Washington will feature an experienced offense but questions remain with the pitching staff. The Eagles will see the loss of two top-line pitchers but return all position players, including seniors Will Wright (.382, 26R, 27 RBI) and Bryan Quintana (.366, 2HR). The Eagle pitching staff will be anchored by two juniors in Chris Anderson (5.32, 3-0), and John Miscioscia (3.74, 3-1). New pitching coach and former San Francisco Giant farm-hand, Kevin Foeman will be key in preparing newcomers to the rotation.

Wesley Head Coach Tripp Keister expects senior captain Grant Morlock to lead the Wolverines to a championship. A three year starter, Morlock (.367, 51R, 6 HR) posted perhaps his best season in 2009. Kevin Murphy (.374, 60 R, 28 SB), Geoff Kimmel (.401, 47 RBI), and Greg McKee (.369), will combine with Morlock for a potent offensive lineup. Kyle Keckler (3.46, 6-2, 3 SV) and Ryan Doran (4.89, 5-0) return to the mound for the Wolverines.

St. May's (Md.) Seahawks, Stevenson Mustangs, Gallaudet Bison round out the rest of the CAC. Stevenson head coach Jason Tawney has 21 newcomers this season. "This is the largest group of newcomers we have ever brought into our program," said Tawney. "This season, our depth will be our strength."

Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) : Head Coach D.J. Conville guided the Huntingdon Hawks to a 26-15 record and the championship of the regular season in 2009. Back for another season is top batter Kyle Eller (.370, 42 RBI, 18 SB). Joining Eller is a trio of sophomores, Caleb Astin (.314, 33 R), John Rice (3.24 ERA, 5-2), and Caleb Cofield (4.64 ERA, 1-2, 2 SV, 33 SO). These players should help keep Huntingdon on the winning track in 2010 and beyond as the Hawks compete with Maryville for a conference crown.

Last year Maryville swept through the 2009 Great South Athletic Conference baseball tournament and earned their fourth title and two in the last three years. The biggest shoes for Maryville to fill in 2010 will be the departing GSAC player of the year Ben Peters (.394, 12 HR, 40 RBI). Maryville will be looking to their recruiting class to fill their holes and make them the second GSAC team to advance to the NCAA playoffs. The Scots' have fourteen players transferring this year and eleven freshmen. Key for the success of the Scots' among the incoming juniors is Myles Cordell. Cordell comes from top ranked Walters State Community College and will start the season at third base.

Last season Piedmont was not able to duplicate the same success they had in 2008. Five of nine players return from the 2009 squad including catcher Zac Stein (.370, 34 R, 4 HR) and centerfielder Corey Lindsey (.338, 39R, 30 SB) return. LaGrange returns Jordan Martinec (.378, 34 RBI), the GSAC freshman of the year, and Eric Heath (.397, 39 RBI, 16 2B) but with only one regular starter returning in Tullock, Trevor ( 5.67 3-4), the Panthers will join Piedmont in rebuilding for the future.

Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) : Once dominated by Bridgewater, the ODAC has sent five different conference winners and Lynchburg (2008 Pool C bid) to the playoffs. This year, the conference will be just as competitive with a number of teams that can rise to the top of the conference. Our pick for the ODAC playoff bid is Bridgewater. Bridgewater Head Coach Curt Kendall expects the Eagles to be senior led with three senior starting pitchers in the rotation and five seniors in the offensive line-up. Adding to the senior leadership will be shortstop Tyler Hodges (.373, 27 R, 22 RBI), the 2009 ODAC Rookie of the Year. Andrew Chismer (.384, 7 HR, 33 RBI), Kevin Kirk (.358, 25 RBI) will lead the offense with spot starters Devon Snow (.375) and Garrett Hughes (.429) getting a chance to play a greater role for the Eagles.

Lynchburg was the favored team in the ODAC in 2009 after capturing a Pool C bid in 2008. They narrowly missed a spot in Appleton that year but took a step back in the 2009 season. Nineteen players are gone from a year ago but none more important than ODAC Pitcher of the Year, Joe Devlin (3.39, 6-2), . The success of the Hornets will start with four players who were on the All-ODAC second team, pitcher Conner Thompson (2.62, 7-2), second baseman Jordan Watkins (.410, 26 RBI), outfielder Cameron Grant (.362, 37 R) and infielder/outfielder Jeff Taylor (.370, 27 SB). When the season ends, the Hornets might find themselves at the top of the ODAC and a second playoff bid in three years.

Along with Washington and Lee, Virginia Wesleyan and Hampden-Sydney will contend for the ODAC crown. The Washington and Lee Generals are coming off their first ODAC championship. With Terrence McKelvey, the ODAC player of the year, gone it will be difficult for the Generals to repeat. Likewise, Virginia Wesleyan also loses their best player in Brett Horowitz, the ODAC pitcher of the year, along with offensive stalwarts Phil Cadle and C.J. Rhodes. The Marlins will need several underclassmen to step up to win the ODAC in 2010. Hampden Sydney's third baseman Matt Brown (.372, 43 RBI) and outfielder Herbie Williams (.377, 41 R) will be key if the Tigers will earn a third ODAC crown. Three of the top four batters for Randolph-Macon graduated from a team that finished third in the 2009 ODAC regular season. Third baseman Greg Mitro (.302, 5HR) is the lone top batter and he will be a key if the Yellow Jackets are to have success on the diamond in 2010.

Guilford, Roanoke, Eastern Mennonite and Emory and Henry round out the rest of the ODAC. For Emory and Henry, Trey McCall begins his 5th season as head coach for the Wasps. Under McCall's leadership the Wasps have made huge strides with the program. Junior centerfielder Anthony Lowry (.356, 28R, 23 RBI) will be one the Wasps' leading players.

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) : 2009 was a banner year for Birmingham-Southern. In only their second year of Division III competition, with a team primarily consisting of sophomores, the Panthers won the SCAC Eastern Division championship and finished with a record of 29-11. Key returnees are ABCA All-South Region teammates in catcher Sam Hill, the 2008 SCAC Freshman-of-the-Year, and outfielder Drew Leachman. The Panthers are well poised to repeat and take the SCAC east crown.

Contending for the top of the East division of the SCAC is DePauw and Rhodes. Jake Martin, a DePauw assistant baseball coach for the last six seasons, will guide the Tigers in 2010. DePauw returns 2/3 of their opening day lineup and four starters. Shortstop Ben Gardner (.376, 24 RBI, 27 SB), first baseman Rob McPike (.376, 33 RBI), pitcher Brad Gerlach (2.34, 7-3) and pitcher Mike Peterson (3.75, 5-2) are the top returning players for the Tigers. 2009 was another successful season for Rhodes. Key to Rhodes' success in the last few seasons have been outfielder Mason Mosby but Mosby graduated last season. Catcher Chris Conkell (.364, 22 RBI) will be joined by fellow All-SCAC selections outfielder Brent Lindsey (.325, 34R) and outfielder Travis Perkins (.344, 10 2B, 31 SB) as Rhodes looks to take the program to the next level.

Centre, Oglethorpe, and Sewanee represented the bottom of the standings in the SCAC east in 2009. Trying to break out of the SCAC basement, the Sewanee Tigers got 11 commitments for the 2010 season highlighted by in-state players Chase Riemer, Quentin Ross, Jacob Simpson, and Scott Ward. Sewanee Head Coach Scott Baker is looking forward for this group to get on the field as the Tigers look for improvement.

USA South Athletic Conference (USAC) : With different champions in each of the last three years (Ferrum in 2007, Christopher Newport in 2008 and NC Wesleyan in 2009) it was none of these schools that made the biggest splash in the 2009 playoffs. Shenandoah secured a Pool C bid and swept through the South regional making their first Championship round appearance. As the top pick in the USAC preseason poll, Shenandoah has high expectations. Two years ago, Head Coach Kevin Anderson went to Appleton to look and learn how to get his team to the top levels of D-III baseball. The trip paid off and last year he brought the entire team. The return of 6 position players four key pitchers make them a favorite to return. One player who excelled last season and in the playoffs was D3baseball.com preseason All-American Greg Van Sickler (.411, 54R, 2.69 ERA, 9-2, 67 SO). If Van Sickler and his teammates can duplicate their success on the field, they might be the first South Region team since NC Wesleyan to bring home a Walnut and Bronze.

The Methodist strength this season will be in the infield. The Monarch's infield returns intact and includes D3baseball.com preseason All-American shortstop, Brian Inghram (.382, 62 RBI, 15 SB), USAC All-Conference second baseman Brian Halpin (.417, 14 2B) and USAC rookie of the year, first baseman, Trey Such (.372, 7 HR). The pitching staff will lose USAC rookie pitcher of the year, Michael Mahaffey (transferred to Marietta) but retain a core pitching staff that could see playoff action in May.

USAC player of the year Trae Bailey ended his Christopher Newport career in 2009 but the Captains are still loaded for action. Josh Brinkman (3.82, 5-1) will lead CNU's efforts in 2010 on the mound with fellow All-Conference teammates Michael Romett (.343, 6 HR), Chris Despins (.329, 6 HR, 38 RBI), and Parker Neal (.366, 41 R, 38 RBI) providing the offense. N.C. Wesleyan lost a lot of talent to graduation in 2009. Along with three players named to the first team All-USAC , third baseman Zollie Woodlief, outfielder Luke Williford and USAC pitcher of the year, Ben Moore, the Bishops graduated two on the second team as well (Justin Batts and Justin Tuck). John Child (3.58, 2-1, 6 SV) and Justin Rahm (.333, 29 R, 5HR) return but will need help if the Bishops are to defend their USAC conference title.

Ferrum, Greensboro, and Averett round out the rest of the USAC. Averett (14-24-1) enter the 2010 campaign with several question marks, including replacing a number of its starting pitchers from last season. However, head coach Ed Fulton feels confident that a strong recruiting class will augment the team's returning players.

Independents: The four teams that fall in the South region outside of a southern conference starts and ends with Emory. Emory Head Coach Mike Twardoski always puts a competitive team on the field. Just two years away from a second place finish in Appleton. The Eagles were hit hard by graduation losing their three of the four top offensive stars. Philadelphia Draftee, David Hissey (.369, 44 Runs, 37 SB) left his mark on the record books as Hissey finished his career as the school's career leader in stolen bases (113), second in runs scored (180) and third in hits (237). Fellow outfielder Tommy Dugan (.305) and first baseman Steve Bralver (.375, 61 RBI also graduated. Jay Page (.269) is expected to step in the open infield spot and transfers Gabe Shivers and Patrick Riebsame will join right fielder Dan Molnar (.319, 18 SB) in the outfield. The story is different with the pitching staff. The core starters return led by senior Matthew Katten (4.03 ERA, 6-3) and junior Chris Monaco (5.77, 303. Joining Katten and Monaco is senior closer Zeb Heidt (1.53, 3-2) who recorded seven of Emory's nine saves last season.

The Rust Bearcats will play a 38 game season but will not contend with a playoff spot. Catholic is a member of the Landmark conference and they will be covered in the Mid-Atlantic Preview. Spalding will become the newest member of the SLIAC starting with the 2010 season and will be covered in the Central Region Preview.