Bates earns NCBWA Preseason First-Team All-American Honors

RUSTON, La. – The preseason rush of awards continues for senior outfielder Parker Bates, who this time is just one of five outfielders in the country named a 2021 NCBWA Division I Preseason First-Team All-American. Bates is one of just two student-athletes listed on the first team that is not a player from a Power Five Conference.
 
Bates, who earned Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year honors from four different publications, adds arguably his biggest preseason accolade after posting a .422/.531/.891 (AVG/OBP/SLG) triple-slash line during the shortened 2020 season. The Tyler, Texas native led the C-USA in hits (27), RBI (28), home runs (eight) and slugging percentage (.891) a season ago.
 
The senior led the Bulldogs to an 11-6 record in the 2020 COVID-19-shortened season. Bates recorded a hit in 15 of 17 games, registering two or more hits in seven contests. Bates tied for third in the nation in home runs, ranked fourth in RBI and placed fifth in slugging percentage.
 
Bates earned Third-Team All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball following the 2020 season. Charlie Montoyo, Brian Rike, Devon Dageford, Brent Diaz and Nate Harris round out the list of Diamond Dogs to earn national honors.
 
The outfielder and his squad open their 2021 season with three games against three different opponents in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LA Tech will play Notre Dame on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium to begin its season.
 
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FIRST TEAM
 
C                     Henry Davis                            Louisville
1B                   Maxwell Costes                      Maryland
2B                   Austin Schultz                        Kentucky
SS                  Cal Conley                              Texas Tech
3B                   Zack Gelof                              Virginia
OF                  Parker Bates                          Louisiana Tech
OF                   Jud Fabian                               Florida
OF                   Christian Franklin                   Arkansas
OF                   John Rhodes                           Kentucky
OF                   Grant Richardson                    Indiana
DH                  Wes Clarke                             South Carolina
UT                   Davis Sharpe                           Clemson
SP                    Kumar Rocker                        Vanderbilt
SP                    Jack Leiter                              Vanderbilt
SP                    Jordan Wicks                          Kansas State
SP                    Zach Pettway                          UCLA
SP                    Connor Prielipp                      Alabama
RP                   Luke Boyd                              Baylor
RP                   Jason Ruffcorn                        Oklahoma
RP                   Tyler Grauer                           Indiana State
RP                   Michael Kirian                        Louisville