Long Beach State University Athletics
Hampson, Mathewson Named Louisville Slugger Preseason All-Americans
12/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Long Beach, Calif. - Collegiate Baseball announced the 2016 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American Teams on Tuesday, and a pair of Dirtbags was selected to the third team. Junior shortstop Garrett Hampson and sophomore starting pitcher Chris Mathewson each received the honor, becoming the first Dirtbags on the preseason All-American team since Danny Espinosa in 2008.
Hampson has already had a highly decorated career at Long Beach State, earning Big West Freshman of the Year in 2014, along with three Freshman All-American honors. After making second-team All-Big West as a sophomore, Hampson was one of 26 players chosen to Team USA's Collegiate National Team this past summer. The Reno, Nev. native led the Dirtbags with 64 hits and 18 stolen bases during his sophomore campaign, starting all 54 games at shortstop.
Mathewson burst onto the scene in 2015 with a highly productive and historic freshman campaign. The righthander from Fontana, Calif. led the starting rotation with a 1.94 ERA over 13 starts, becoming the first Dirtbag to win Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He was later named to a handful of Freshman All-American teams, including a first-team nod from Baseball America. The highlight of his rookie campaign came early on against Wichita State, when Mathewson's second career start turned into a combined no-hitter with teammate Darren McCaughan—the first no-hitter in program history.
Espinosa was also a third-team Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American in 2008, and recent Long Beach State Hall of Famer Evan Longoria earned third-team recognition in 2006. Here is the complete list of 2016 Preseason All-Americans:
FIRST TEAM
RHP Alex Lange (Louisiana St.)
RHP Mike Shawaryn (Maryland)
LHP A.J. Puk (Florida)
RHP Logan Shore (Florida)
RHP Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville)
RHP Kevin Hill (South Alabama)
Relief Zack Burdi (Louisville)
Relief Zach Jackson (Arkansas)
C Zack Collins (Miami, Fla.)
1B/P Carmen Benedetti (Michigan)
2B Stefan Trosclair (Louisiana-Lafayette)
3B Will Craig (Wake Forest)
SS Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina)
OF Buddy Reed (Florida)
OF Nick Banks (Texas A&M)
OF Corey Ray (Louisville)
UT Brendan McKay (Louisville)
SECOND TEAM
LHP Justin Sinibaldi (Nicholls St.)
RHP Bryan Young (Missouri St.)
LHP Jared Poche' (Louisiana St.)
RHP Andrew Lantrip (Houston)
RHP Mitchell Traver (Texas Christian)
LHP Luke Gillingham (Navy)
RHP Alec Hansen (Oklahoma)
RHP Connor Jones (Virginia)
RHP Kyle Wright (Vanderbilt)
RHP Robert Tyler (Georgia)
RHP Daulton Jefferies (California)
Relief Ben Bowden (Vanderbilt)
Relief Nolan Blackwood (Memphis)
Relief Ian Hamilton (Washington St.)
Relief Bryan Garcia (Miami, Fla.)
C Chris Okey (Clemson)
C J.J. Schwarz (Florida)
1B Ryan Rippee (S.E. Missouri St.)
1B K.J. Harrison (Oregon St.)
1B Ryan Tinkman (Wichita St.)
2B Nate Mondou (Wake Forest)
3B Bobby Dalbec (Arizona)
SS Colby Woodmansee (Arizona St.)
SS Sheldon Neuse (Oklahoma)
OF Kyle Lewis (Mercer)
OF Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt)
OF Heath Quinn (Samford)
UT Corbin Olmstead (North Florida)
THIRD TEAM
RHP Zach Plesac (Ball St.)
LHP Christian Stolo (Nevada)
LHP Jacob Hendren (Illinois St.)
RHP Chris Mathewson (Long Beach St.)
RHP Joseph Camacho (Alabama St.)
RHP Michael Baumann (Jacksonville)
LHP Matt Krook (Oregon)
RHP Cal Quantrill (Stanford)
Relief Mark Ecker (Texas A&M)
Relief Thomas Hackimer (St. John's)
Relief Dylan Moore (Louisiana-Lafayette)
Relief J.D. Busfield (Loyola Marymount)
Relief Zac Ryan (Georgia Tech.)
Relief Collin Kober (McNeese St.)
C Matt Thaiss (Virginia)
C Andrew Knizner (N.C. State)
1B Nick Rivera (Florida Gulf Coast)
1B Charley Gould (William & Mary)
1B Collin Carroll (Alcorn St.)
1B Kevin Phillips (East Tennessee St.)
2B Trevor Ezell (Southeast Missouri St.)
2B Tyler Fullerton (Belmont)
2B Mike Garzillo (Lehigh)
3B Carl Stajduhar (New Mexico)
3B Jake Burger (Missouri St.)
3B JaVon Shelby (Kentucky)
3B Nick Senzel (Tennessee)
SS Garrett Hampson (Long Beach St.)
SS Stephen Alemais (Tulane)
SS Danny Sheehan (San Diego St.)
SS C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic)
OF Gio Brusa (Pacific)
OF Kyle Nowlin (Eastern Kentucky)
OF Michael Morman (Richmond)
OF Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt)
UT Cole Hallum (Campbell)
