Shockers Picked Fourth in Preseason Poll, Kaminska and Kocis Honored
 
WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State was picked fourth in the American Athletic Conference baseball preseason poll, the league announced Wednesday. First baseman Garrett Kocis and right-handed pitcher Jace Kaminska were selected to the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Kaminska was a unanimous selection, one of just four unanimous picks.
 
The fourth-place selection is Wichita State's highest since the Shockers joined The American in 2017.
 
2022 Preseason Poll

1	ECU (6)		48
2	Tulane (1)		36
3	Cincinnati		30
4	Wichita State		29
5	UCF		28
6	South Florida (1)		26
7	Houston		20
8	Memphis		7

 
First-Place votes in parenthesis
 
Reigning regular season champion East Carolina was picked first with 48 votes, while Tulane and Cincinnati round out the top three.
 
Despite being limited to 36 games this past season due to injury, Kocis delivered a power-packed 2021 campaign, blasting a team-high 12 home runs and 11 doubles. He put together one of the most impressive stretches in recent Shocker baseball history from the end of February into early March, homering seven times over the span of six games while driving in 17 runs. His .654 slugging percentage is the highest among all returners in the AAC.
 
Kaminska was recently tabbed a preseason Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball after going 8-1 with a 2.32 ERA in his debut season. The right-hander allowed more than two runs in only one of his 12 appearances during the 2021 season, picking up seven wins in American conference play. All told, Kaminska fashioned a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.7:1 (51 strikeouts, 19 walks) over the course of 62.0 innings.
 
Cincinnati outfielder Paul Komistek was named Preseason Player of the Year, while East Carolina left-hander Carson Whisenhunt snagged Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
 
The Shockers open the season on February 18 at Louisiana Tech, with the home opener at Eck Stadium scheduled for March 8 vs. Oral Roberts.
 
Preseason All-Conference Team
P – Carson Whisenhunt, So., East Carolina*
P – Jack Jasiak, R-So., South Florida*
P – Tyler Hoffman, R-Jr., Tulane
P – Jace Kaminska, So., Wichita State*
RP – C.J. Mayhue, So., East Carolina
C – Bennett Lee, So., Tulane
1B – Garrett Kocis, Sr., Wichita State
2B – Chase Englehard, So., Tulane
SS – Alex Freeland, So., UCF
3B – Carmine Lane, R-So., South Florida
OF – Gephry Pena, R-Jr., UCF
OF – Cole Harting, So., Cincinnati
OF – Paul Komistek, R-Jr., Cincinnati*
OF – Griffin Merritt, R-Jr., Cincinnati
OF – Drew Brutcher, So., South Florida
DH – Tom Josten, R-Jr., UCF
DH – Luis Aviles, R-Sr., Tulane