DENVER — The Western Athletic Conference announced Wednesday, that Seattle U baseball's Julian Kodama and Connor O'Brien were each named to the Preseason All-WAC Team, while the Redhawks were projected to finish sixth in preseason poll.
For Kodama, this is his second preseason accolade of the year. The junior infielder started all 16 games in 2020, including 10 at third base. He recorded a single-season program-record with a team-best .379 batting average, a mark that was also good third on the WAC charts. A native of Edmonds, Wash., Kodama was also among league leaders as he registered seven doubles (t-1st) and 22 hits (5th). He had seven runs batted-in, five walks and a .422 on-base percentage, while slugging .500.
Per NCAA Stats, Kodama finished last season ranked as the WAC's toughest batter to strikeout, averaging 14.5 pitches per at-bat, while ranking 34th nationally in doubles and being among the Top 60 in doubles per game (59th, 0.44). He enters the 2021 season with a .307 career batting average, good for listed seventh-overall on Seattle U all-time list.
A native of Brier, Wash., O'Brien started 11 games and slugged a team-best .565 in 2020. He was also second among team leaders in batting .326, while registering six extra bases hits. O'Brien's two triples last season had him ranked 39th among Division I hitters and second on the conference charts.
With the announcement by the conference office, Kodama and O'Brien become the 14th and 15th Redhawks to earn preseason all-conference honors since the program's rebirth in 2010. This is also the first time either has earn the award.
In the preseason rankings, the WAC coaches awarded Seattle U 37 points for sixth overall. UTRGV, Grand Canyon and Sacramento State each received 73 points for a three-way share of first place. NM State earned 53 points and California Baptist picked 49 to round out the top five in order. Utah Valley trailed the Redhawks by five points to place seventh. Dixie State (26) took eight, while Northern Colorado and Tarleton were tied at ninth with 17 points each.
Seattle U baseball is scheduled to begin the 2021 campaign on the road, as it opens the year with 15 of the first 18 games away from Bannerwood Park, beginning with Opening Day on Feb. 19 at Portland. First pitch with the Pilots is scheduled for 12 pm. For the complete 2021 baseball schedule, visit the team's schedule page on GoSeattleU.com.
For the latest updates, download the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play, and follow Seattle U baseball (@SeattleUBase) on Twitter and Instagram.