University of Tennessee Athletics
Kentrail Davis Earns Preseason Honors
February 16, 2009 | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2009
Tennessee sophomore outfielder Kentrail Davis recieved two more preseason honors Monday as both Baseball America and Rivals.com announced their preseason All-America teams. Davis earned a first-team selection from Baseball America and was one of several collegiate players named to Rivals.com's team.
Baseball America annually polls major league scouting directors to vote on the team and make their selections based on performance, talent and professional potential. In the past, the preseason All-America team has been a predictor both of the first round of the draft and of team success. For example, members of the 2008 first team made up eight of the first 12 picks in the draft last June. In all, 15 of last year's preseason All-Americans were drafted in the first round.
Davis and Alabama second baseman Ross Wilson are the only sophomores on the otherwise junior-dominated first team. Davis was also one of only four players to receive votes on every ballot.
He was also one of three sophomores to be named to Rivals.com's team. Ryan Schimpf and Blake Dean of LSU, and Scott Bittle of Ole Miss also appeared on the team.
Davis' other preseason honors include being named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List and earning a spot on the first team of the NCBWA Preseason All-America team.
The Alabama native earned Freshman All-America honors last season while becoming just the ninth Vol in school history to win the team triple crown and the first since 2002. He led the Vols in batting average (.330), home runs (13), and RBI (44), while also pacing the team in hits (68), triples (3), total bases (120), hit-by-pitches (15) and on-base percentage (.435).
Tennessee opens its 2009 season with a three-game home series against Oregon State Feb. 20-22.
