Southwestern Athletic Conference

SOUTHERN’S RICKIE WEEKS, DEWON DAY HEAD ALL-SWAC PRESEASON BASEBALL TEAM

February 20, 2003

Southern University shortstop, Rickie Weeks and pitcher Dewon Day have been tabbed as the Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason Player and Pitcher of the year, respectively. Jackson State and Southern were picked to win their East and West division titles. The 2003 SWAC Preseason Baseball team and predicted order of finish were selected in voting by the conference’s sports information directors and baseball coaches.

Weeks, a projected top Major League Baseball draft prospect, was the 2002 SWAC Player of the Year, Most Outstanding Hitter, Tournament MVP and Most Outstanding Hitter. Last season he set an NCAA record with a.495 batting average for the season. He also earned SWAC Freshman of the Year honors (2001) and All-American honors while playing on the National Team USA.

Dewon Day returns to play his final season for the Jaguars after being drafted, but not signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in last year’s MLB draft.

Southern had seven players named to the first team, followed by Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alabama A&M with two players each. Jackson State, Alabama State and Prairie View A&M had one player each named to the first team. Due to a tie in votes for outfielders on the first team four players are named to the first team with two named to the outfield on the second team.

Grambling State leads the second team with six players named. Southern adds three more players (10 overall), followed by Arkansas-Pine Bluff with one player (3 overall) and Mississippi Valley State with one player.

2003 Preseason All-SWAC Baseball Team
First Team
CATCHER
- Erik Duff (Alabama State) - Jr. 6-2, 190 St. Croix, VI
INFIELD
- Rickie Weeks (Southern) - 2B, Jr., 6-0, 195, Altamont Springs, FL
- Antoin Gray (Southern) - 3B, Sr., 5-10, 175, Hattiesburg, MS
- Chris Outlaw (Jcakson State) - 2B, Jr., 6-1, 200, Huntsville, AL
- Demarcus Broughton (Alabama A&M) - 1B, Sr., 6-3, 225, Mobile, AL
OUTFIELD *
- Kevin Banks (Ark.-Pine Bluff) - Jr., 6-1, 180, Bellwood, IL
- Joseph Vaughn (Prairie View A&M) - Jr., 5-9, 185, Houston, TX
- Robert Felton (Jackson State)* - Jr., 5-10, 185, Yazoo City, MS
- Theo Dumas (Southern)* - Sr., 6-0, 185, El Dorado, CA
PITCHERS
- Dewon Day (Southern) - RHP, Sr., 6-4, 210, Jackson, MS
- Damien Ursin (Southern) -  RHP, Jr., 6-0, 190, Gramercy, LA
- Aaron Sims (Alabama A&M) - RHP, Sr., 6-4, 200, Waukegan, IL
- David Bayless (Ark.-Pine Bluff) - So., 6-1, 205, Marshall, TX
UTILITY / DH
- Brandon Mason (Southern) - So., 5-7, 160, LaPlace, LA

Second Team
CATCHER
- Jonathan Jones (Grambling State) - Jr., 6-3, 207, Decatur, GA 
INFIELD
- Fernando Puebla (Southern) - SS, Jr., 6-0, 180, Caracas, Venezuela
- Jacobi Frank (Grambling State) - 1b, Sr., 5-9, New Orleans, LA
- Keven Camp (Grambling State) - 3b, Sr., 6-0, Decatur, GA
- Kevin Vital (Southern) - 1b, Sr., 6-0, 245, Loreauville, LA
OUTFIELD *
- James Cooper (Grambling State) - Jr., 6-3, Cullen, LA
- Robert Reynolds (Miss. Valley State) - Sr., Sacramento, CA
PITCHERS
- Corey Poret (Southern) - LHP, Jr., 5-11, 180, New Orleans, LA
- W.J. Tobias (Ark.-Pine Bluff) - Sr., 5-9, 165, Searcy, AR
- Torri Worrall (Grambling State) - LHP, Sr., 5-8, New Orleans, LA
UTILITY / DH
- Carl Johnson (Grambling State) - So., 6-3, Houston, TX
(*) Tied voting on First Team, One less player on Second Team

Player of the Year
Rickie Weeks - Southern - 2B, Jr., 6-0, 195, Altamont Springs, FL

Pitcher of the Year
Dewon Day - Southern - RHP, Sr., 6-4, 210, Jackson, MS