CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Atlantic Sun Conference has named Austin Peay State University's Ray Velazquez as the league's 2026 Preseason Player of the Year, and the Governors are favored to win the ASUN Gold Division by the league's coaches in the preseason poll, which the conference announced Thursday.
Velazquez, who was a First Team All-ASUN selection in 2025, was tabbed as the preseason favorite for Player of the Year following an 18-home run season, where he batted .364 (4th, ASUN) with a 1.207 OPS (3rd, ASUN) and 57 RBI (5th, ASUN). Of his 18 home runs, 14 were hit during league play, which led the ASUN. Austin Peay has received a preseason player of the year selection for three straight seasons, dating back to the 2024 season. Velazquez joins alumni Lyle Miller-Green and John Bay, who were chosen in 2024 and 2025. Velazquez was also voted to the All-ASUN team at third base by the league's coaches.
Joining Velazquez on the preseason All-ASUN haul are Cody Airington (starting pitcher), Trevor Conley (catcher), Cole Johnson (first base), and Kyler Proctor (second base).
Airington was selected after posting a 4-1 record with a 3.54 ERA over 40.2 innings in eight appearances. He started all eight games before a season-ending injury. At that point in the season, Airington led the ASUN in starts (8) and was fourth in wins (4) and hits allowed per nine innings (6.64).
Conley, a First Team All-ASUN selection in 2025, was selected to the preseason team after proving to be one of the best catchers in the nation, as he was named to the Buster Posey National Catcher of the Year Midseason Watchlist last spring. He finished the regular season with a .312 batting average and a .378 average in league play, which ranked seventh in the ASUN. He also ranked ninth in league play with a .610 slugging percentage and a .470 on-base percentage, and seventh in league play with a 1.080 OPS.
The 2025 ASUN Freshman of the Year and NCBWA Freshman All-American, Johnson, lands on the league's preseason team after finishing last spring as one of the best freshmen in the country, where he led all freshmen in the ASUN with a .356 batting average, a .587 slugging percentage, a 1.205 OPS, 50 runs scored, 80 hits, 23 doubles, nine home runs, and 70 RBI.
Proctor is the last to join the other Govs on the preseason team, following his tremendous 2025 season as a First Team All-ASUN selection and one of the best defenders in the league. The Silo, Oklahoma native collected 141 assists in the field, which ranked second in the ASUN. He also performed at the leadoff spot in the lineup, finishing the season with a .320 batting average, along with six home runs and 81 total hits while driving in 42 runs. He also led the Govs' roster with 14 stolen bases.
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