Dec. 12, 2007

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior first baseman Justin Smoak (Goose Creek, S.C.) has been named to the 2008 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) preseason 2008 All-America team as announced on Wednesday afternoon. Smoak was a second team selection by the NCBWA. The Gamecocks open 2008 action on February, 22 at Sarge Frye Field vs. East Carolina.

Smoak earned All-America honors from Baseball America last year as a sophomore after hitting 22 home runs and tallying 72 RBI while batting at a .315 clip. Baseball America also lists Smoak as the No. 3 top college prospect in the nation for the 2008 draft.

South Carolina is one of only two schools in the nation to reach the NCAA Super Regionals in seven of the last eight years (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007). Since the 2000 season, the Gamecocks are the only SEC squad to reach the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament each year and have compiled eight consecutive 40-plus win seasons. The Gamecocks have also put together a 388-155 record in that span, the fourth highest win total in Division I baseball as well as an SEC-best 147-92 in conference match-ups. That list also includes three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004), two SEC Championships (2000, 2002) and one SEC Tournament title (2004).