FRISCO, Texas – Reigning Southland Conference Baseball Tournament champion McNeese leads the way with six honorees on the 2021 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference baseball teams, announced by the league Tuesday. The preseason all-conference teams are presented by Hercules Tires.
The Cowboys placed four on the top squad in second baseman Nate Fisbeck, shortstop Reid Bourque, designated hitter Clayton Rasbeary and pitcher Will Dion. Fisbeck and second-team utility selection Jake Dickerson represented McNeese on the all-tournament team following the conference championship in 2019. Outfielder Payton Harden rounds out the Cowboys’ All-Southland nods after being voted to the second team.
Sam Houston garnered four spots on the all-league rosters, led by sophomore outfielder and reigning Southland Conference Hitter of the Year Colton Cowser. The Cypress, Texas, native enters the season ranked as the No. 13 prospect for the 2021 MLB Draft by MLB.com. Cowser is joined on the top squad by catcher Gavin Johnson and outfielder Jack Rogers.
UIW, New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana earned three selections each, followed by Central Arkansas, Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with two honorees apiece. Houston Baptist, Lamar and Stephen F. Austin each placed one on the all-league teams.
The 2021 Southland Baseball Preseason Poll will be announced at 10 a.m. Thursday. The season opens Friday, Feb. 19 with all 13 teams in action, beginning with a pair of 1 p.m. first pitches as Lamar visits UTRGV and Houston Baptist faces Washington at Rice’s Reckling Park.
Southland preseason all-conference teams are nominated and voted upon by the league’s head coaches. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted. Returning all-conference selections from the previous season are automatically named to the preseason teams and may be elevated to higher teams based on available positions.
2021 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference Baseball Teams
| Name | School | Pos. | Class | Hometown |
| Ryan Flores* | UIW | 1B | Sr. | Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Nate Fisbeck* | McNeese | 2B | Sr. | The Woodlands, Texas |
| Beau Orlando* | Central Arkansas | 3B | Sr. | Houston, Texas |
| Reid Bourque* | McNeese | SS | Jr. | Moss Bluff, La. |
| Gavin Johnson* | Sam Houston | C | R-Sr. | San Antonio, Texas |
| Clayton Rasbeary* | McNeese | DH | Sr. | Rockwall, Texas |
| Brandon Bena* | Houston Baptist | OF | Sr. | Omaha, Neb. |
| Colton Cowser* | Sam Houston | OF | So. | Cypress, Texas |
| Jack Rogers* | Sam Houston | OF | Jr. | Spring, Texas |
| Will Dion* | McNeese | SP | So. | Sulphur, La. |
| John Gaddis* | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | SP | Jr. | Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Trey Shaffer | Southeastern Louisiana | SP | Jr. | Biloxi, Miss. |
| Conner Williams* | Central Arkansas | RP | Sr. | Conway, Ark. |
| Itchy Burts* | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | U | Sr. | League City, Texas |
Second Team
| Name | School | Pos. | Class | Hometown |
| Preston Faulkner* | Southeastern Louisiana | 1B | Jr. | Denham Springs, La. |
| Salo Iza | New Orleans | 2B | Sr. | Key Biscayne, Fla. |
| Anthony Quirion* | Lamar | 3B | Sr. | Dixville, Quebec, Canada |
| Grant Smith | UIW | SS | So. | Albuquerque, N.M. |
| Marshall Skinner | Northwestern State | C | Sr. | Cypress, Texas |
| Lee Thomas* | UIW | DH | Gr. | Katy, Texas |
| Payton Harden | McNeese | OF | R-So. | Atascocita, Texas |
| Tyler Smith* | Northwestern State | OF | Sr. | Franklinton, La. |
| Luther Woullard | New Orleans | OF | Sr. | D’Iberville, Miss. |
| Dominic Robinson | Sam Houston | SP | Sr. | Tomball, Texas |
| Chris Turpin | New Orleans | SP | Sr. | Belle Chasse, La. |
| Will Warren | Southeastern Louisiana | SP | Jr. | Brandon, Miss. |
| Jeremy Rodriguez* | Stephen F. Austin | RP | Sr. | Cypress, Texas |
| Jake Dickerson* | McNeese | U | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas |
* – Member of 2020 Preseason All-Southland Conference teams
{Courtesy: the Southland Conference}
