Dec. 25, 2006
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech catcher Matt Wieters and center fielder Danny Payne have been named to the 2007 Louisville Slugger/TPX Preseason All-America Team, as chosen by Collegiate Baseball this week.
Wieters, of Goose Creek, S.C., has been named first team Preseason All-America by the Collegiate Baseball publication after being named a second team Preseason All-American by the NCBWA earlier in the month. The junior garnered numerous honors in 2006, including being named a first-team All-American by Baseball America at season’s end, hitting .355 with 15 HR and 71 RBI while helping Tech to its third College World Series appearance in his second year on the Flats.
Payne, a native of Woodstock, Ga., has earned his second Preseason All-America honor of 2007, being named to the second team of both the Louisville Slugger/TPX and the NCBWA preseason teams. Despite missing the last 25 games of 2006, the junior was named first team all-ACC, leading Tech with a .356 average and 20 stolen bases. He also had 11 HR and 44 RBI in 2006.
Both Wieters and Payne were named preseason candidates for College Baseball Player of the Year, the Brooks Wallace Award, in late November.
The Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 11 in the preseason Collegiate Baseball poll, will begin the season Feb. 10 at Georgia Southern.
