Big 12 Coaches Pick Oklahoma State 3rd in Preseason Poll, Two Cowboys All-League
(This story originated with the Big 12 Conference office and with Oklahoma State University athletic media relations.)
IRVING, Texas – The conference’s head coaches tabbed Oklahoma State to finish third in the 2024 Big 12 standings. TCU is the coaches’ pick to win the conference and garnered 11 first-place votes, while Texas is second and received a pair of first-place votes. Oklahoma State’s Carson Benge and Nolan Schubart were selected to the 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 Baseball Team by the conference’s head coaches.
Schubart, a sophomore outfielder, is one of six players who was a unanimous selection, while Benge was named to the team as a utility player.
A two-way standout as a pitcher and outfielder, Benge was a Freshman All-American and All-Big 12 First Team performer in his first collegiate season in 2023. Benge led the Cowboys with a .345 batting average to go along with seven home runs, 17 doubles and 43 RBIs. On the mound, the right-hander made 10 starts and was 2-2 with a 6.69 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 35 innings of work. A semifinalist for the 2023 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, Benge is on the Perfect Game Preseason All-America Third Team as a utility player.
Schubart is coming off a standout season in which he earned multiple All-America and Freshman All-America honors and was the Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team honoree. The Michigan native posted a .338 batting average and a team-high 20 doubles and added 17 home runs and 74 RBIs. Among all NCAA Division I freshmen in 2023, Schubart ranked second in RBIs, third in doubles, sixth in total bases (144), walks (43) and slugging percentage (.667) and seventh in homers.
Last season, the Cowboys shared the league crown with Texas and West Virginia, with all posting a 15-9 league record. It marked OSU’s second regular-season Big 12 title in program history – the Pokes also won in 2014 – and its 34th conference championship overall.
OSU has finished in the top two of the league standings seven times in 10 seasons under head coach Josh Holliday. Led by Preseason All-Big 12 selections Nolan Schubart and Carson Benge, the Cowboys return five starters and 16 letterwinners from a year ago. Also returning to the lineup are 2023 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Tyler Wulfert and Colin Brueggemann, both of whom were All-Big 12 Second Team performers last season.
OSU is also coming off its 10 consecutive NCAA Regional Appearance and second-straight 40-win season as the Cowboys finished 41-20 overall in 2023.
The Cowboys open the season with a three-game series at Sam Houston beginning Feb. 16.
2024 Big 12 Conference Baseball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Big 12 Team
| Poll Position | School (1st Place Votes) | Pts. | Pos. | Player/School | Pos. | Player/School |
| 1. | TCU (11) | 143 | C | Karson Bowen, TCU | SP | Payton Tolle, TCU |
| 2. | Texas (2) | 131 | IF | Kody Shokinaga, KU | SP | *Lebarron Johnson, Jr. UT |
| 3. | Oklahoma State | 119 | IF | Kaelen Culpepper, KSU | RP | Tyson Neighbors, KSU |
| 4. | Texas Tech | 107 | IF | Anthony Silva, TCU | RP | Ben Abeldt, TCU |
| 5. | Kansas State | 98 | IF | *Gaven Kash, Tech | Player of the Year | *Wetherholt, WVU |
| T6. | Oklahoma | 85 | IF | *J.J. Wetherholt, WVU | Pitcher of the Year | Johnson Jr., UT |
| T6. | West Virginia | 85 | OF | Bryce Madron, OU | Newcomer of the Year | Tolle, TCU |
| 8. | Kansas | 67 | OF | *Nolan Schubart, OSU | Freshman of the Year | Will Gasparino, UT |
| 9. | Houston | 56 | OF | Porter Brown, UT | ||
| 10. | UCF | 45 | DH | Janson Reeder, KU | ||
| 11. | Baylor | 36 | UTL | Carson Benge, OSU | ||
| T12. | BYU | 21 | SP | Owen Boerema, KSU | ||
| T12. | Cincinnati | 21 | SP | *Kole Klecker, TCU |