GREENSBORO - Junior North Carolina A&T second baseman Luke Tendler has picked up several honors this week. On Wednesday, Tendler was named to the MEAC's all-conference preseason team, a day after earning recognition by CollegeBaseballInsider.com.

 

 

 

 

MEAC preseason predictions were also released on Wednesday with the Aggies picked to finish the 2013 season in third place in the MEAC Southern Division, according to the preseason poll of conference head coaches and sports information directors.

 

 

It is the second straight preseason All-MEAC selection for Tendler.  He garnered All-MEAC second team and MEAC All-Tournament team honors in 2012, after posting a .305 average with 10 doubles, six triples, six homers and a team-high 55 RBI.  Tendler earned 2011 All-MEAC first team and was a 2011 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. 

 

 

He has also received preseason recognition from CollegeBaseballInsider.com andBaseball America.

 

 

CollegeBaseballInsider.com polled college coaches from each conference around the nation to highlight the players and teams s to watch for in 2013.   

 

MEAC coaches polled, said Tendler possessed the best infield arm. He joined Bethune-Cookman's Anthony Stokes and Delaware State's Ryan Haas as the biggest power threats in the league. Tendler posted a .305 average with 10 doubles, six triples, six homers and a team-high 55 RBI, after totaling a 20-game hitting streak in 2012.  He was also named to the All-MEAC second-team last spring, after ranking among MEAC leaders in RBI, triples, home runs and total bases.  He has a career batting average of .342 with 30 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs and 108 RBI in 110 games for A&T entering into the 2013 season.

Last season, Tendler was named among the best pure hitters in the conference and the hitter you least want to face by CollegeBaseballInsider.com.  Tendler was a 2011 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and is a two-time All-MEAC player. He was also named to the 2012 MEAC All-Tournament team.

Tendler was also named the No.2 top prospect for the 2013-14 draft and projected preseason MEAC Player of the Year by Baseball America in their MEAC preview for the 2013 season. 

The Aggies begin the 2013 season on Friday in a 2 p.m., doubleheader against Buffalo at War Memorial Stadium.