Six Cougars Earn CAA Preseason Honors, CofC Picked Second
2/5/2025 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
RICHMOND, Va. – College of Charleston baseball was picked second in the Annual Coaches' Poll while six players earned Preseason All-CAA honors as announced by the league on Tuesday.
Junior Jake Brink, senior Davis Aiken and graduate student Avery Neaves were named Preseason All-CAA while redshirt junior Alex Lyon and seniors Aidan Hunter and Dylan Johnson earned CAA Preseason Honorable Mention. Charleston's six preseason selections are a league best.
Brink, a 2024 All-CAA Second Team member, went 8-3 with a 3.69 ERA across 92.2 innings and 15 starts. The right hander totaled eight quality starts while posting a 1.26 WHIP and .232 batting average against. The Whitestone, N.Y., native went 8.0 innings in back-to-back starts last March, highlighted by a three-hit scoreless outing against Wofford.
An All-CAA First Team selection, Aiken appeared in 30 of the team's 55 contests, posting a 0.99 WHIP and holding batters to a .204 average across 31.1 frames. Aiken's 11 saves and 30 outings in 2024 led the CAA and was good for sixth and 29th in the nation, respectively. The closer tallied 24 scoreless outings in his first season with the Cougars.
Neaves, the other Charleston All-CAA First Team honoree to return in 2025, led the team with 25 doubles, 4 triples, a .475 on-base pct. and a .715 slugging pct. The outfielder launched 15 home runs to go along with 63 runs scored, 44 RBI and a .338 batting average during the 2024 campaign.
Hunter, who was tabbed All-CAA Second Team, posted a 7-1 record in 16 appearances (14 starts). The Hanahan, S.C., native recorded a 3.76 ERA in 76.2 innings, striking out 56 batters. Hunter went 5.0-or-more innings in 11 of his 14 starts.
Second in the conference behind Aiken with 28 appearances out of the bullpen, Lyon hurled a 3.71 ERA in 51.1 frames, while earning three saves. The submariner posted 14 scoreless outings and had a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 frames during CAA action. 18 of Lyon's 2024 outings saw him record more than three outs, including seven of nine-plus outs.
Johnson appeared in all 55 games, making 54 starts behind the plate in 2024, helping the pitching staff hurl a 4.05 ERA, which finished atop the CAA and ninth in the country. Along with his defense, Johnson batted .279 with seven doubles, four home runs and 43 RBI. The backstop struck out just 22 times in 204 at bats while earning 18 free passes, good for a .346 on-base pct.
Charleston garnered 109 points and three first-place votes. 2025 preseason favorite UNCW tallied 117 and eight first-place votes while Northeastern earned 107 points and one first-place prediction, rounding out the top three.
The Cougars are set to open the 2025 campaign with a three-game series against VCU, beginning Feb. 14 at Patriots Point. First pitch on Opening Day is scheduled for 4 p.m. Single game ticket information will be available on Thursday, Feb. 6.
For complete coverage of Charleston baseball, follow us on Facebook (/CollegeofCharlestonBaseball), X (@CofCBaseball) and Instagram (@CofC_Baseball).
Junior Jake Brink, senior Davis Aiken and graduate student Avery Neaves were named Preseason All-CAA while redshirt junior Alex Lyon and seniors Aidan Hunter and Dylan Johnson earned CAA Preseason Honorable Mention. Charleston's six preseason selections are a league best.
Brink, a 2024 All-CAA Second Team member, went 8-3 with a 3.69 ERA across 92.2 innings and 15 starts. The right hander totaled eight quality starts while posting a 1.26 WHIP and .232 batting average against. The Whitestone, N.Y., native went 8.0 innings in back-to-back starts last March, highlighted by a three-hit scoreless outing against Wofford.
An All-CAA First Team selection, Aiken appeared in 30 of the team's 55 contests, posting a 0.99 WHIP and holding batters to a .204 average across 31.1 frames. Aiken's 11 saves and 30 outings in 2024 led the CAA and was good for sixth and 29th in the nation, respectively. The closer tallied 24 scoreless outings in his first season with the Cougars.
Neaves, the other Charleston All-CAA First Team honoree to return in 2025, led the team with 25 doubles, 4 triples, a .475 on-base pct. and a .715 slugging pct. The outfielder launched 15 home runs to go along with 63 runs scored, 44 RBI and a .338 batting average during the 2024 campaign.
Hunter, who was tabbed All-CAA Second Team, posted a 7-1 record in 16 appearances (14 starts). The Hanahan, S.C., native recorded a 3.76 ERA in 76.2 innings, striking out 56 batters. Hunter went 5.0-or-more innings in 11 of his 14 starts.
Second in the conference behind Aiken with 28 appearances out of the bullpen, Lyon hurled a 3.71 ERA in 51.1 frames, while earning three saves. The submariner posted 14 scoreless outings and had a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 frames during CAA action. 18 of Lyon's 2024 outings saw him record more than three outs, including seven of nine-plus outs.
Johnson appeared in all 55 games, making 54 starts behind the plate in 2024, helping the pitching staff hurl a 4.05 ERA, which finished atop the CAA and ninth in the country. Along with his defense, Johnson batted .279 with seven doubles, four home runs and 43 RBI. The backstop struck out just 22 times in 204 at bats while earning 18 free passes, good for a .346 on-base pct.
Charleston garnered 109 points and three first-place votes. 2025 preseason favorite UNCW tallied 117 and eight first-place votes while Northeastern earned 107 points and one first-place prediction, rounding out the top three.
The Cougars are set to open the 2025 campaign with a three-game series against VCU, beginning Feb. 14 at Patriots Point. First pitch on Opening Day is scheduled for 4 p.m. Single game ticket information will be available on Thursday, Feb. 6.
For complete coverage of Charleston baseball, follow us on Facebook (/CollegeofCharlestonBaseball), X (@CofCBaseball) and Instagram (@CofC_Baseball).
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