Blair Named CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year; Joined by Marsh on Preseason All-Conference Team
1/29/2026 1:08:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty right-hander Ben Blair was named the Conference USA Preseason Pitcher of the Year and joined Flames shortstop Tanner Marsh on the CUSA Preseason All-Conference team, as the conference announced its preseason all-conference team and poll this afternoon. The CUSA head coaches vote in the poll and select the team.
In the CUSA Preseason Poll, Liberty was picked to finish seventh with 85 points. Dallas Baptist received nine first-place votes and 141 points as the coaches' choice to finish the year as the conference champion.
Blair was named to the CUSA All-Conference first team in 2025. The right-hander made 15 appearances, all starts, posting a 6-4 record with a 3.67 ERA over 83 1/3 innings. The junior struck out 94 and walked 30, holding opponents to a .235 batting average.
Blair, who was one of three CUSA pitchers on the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List in 2025, finished the year second in CUSA in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was sixth in CUSA in ERA and fifth in opponent batting average. The Gretna, Va., native was also named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 17.
During the 2026 preseason, Blair has already been selected to the 2026 Preseason MLB Draft All-American second team by Over-Slot Baseball and the College All-Underrated team by Baseball America.
Fellow junior Marsh has started every game at shortstop for the Flames since joining the Liberty roster in 2024. Last season, the infielder hit .295 with 52 runs scored, 22 RBI, 11 doubles, and two home runs in 56 games. He also stole a team-high 18 bases and led the Flames with 21 multi-hit games. The Asheboro, N.C., native walked 32 times and posted a .378 on-base percentage.
One of the top defenders in CUSA, Marsh had a .962 fielding percentage, committing nine errors in 236 chances at shortstop. He finished third in the conference with 153 fielding assists.
The 12-team CUSA will play a 30-game regular season schedule with the top eight teams in the standings advancing to the CUSA Baseball Championship.
The 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship will be played May 20-24 at Mickey Dunn Stadium in Kenesaw, Ga. The tournament features a double-elimination bracket with a winner-take-all title game. The winner of the title contest will receive the conference's automatic bid to an NCAA Regional.
2026 CUSA Preseason Baseball Poll
2026 Preseason Player of the Year
Chayton Krauss, DBU – Sr. – INF
2026 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ben Blair, Liberty – Jr. – RHP
2026 Preseason All-Conference Team
C: Grayson Ashe, Jax State
INF: Keaton Grady, DBU
INF: Chayton Krauss, DBU
INF: Tanner Marsh, Liberty
INF: Kyle Hayes, WKU
OF: Cole Cleveland, FIU
OF: Andrew Ildefonso, FIU
OF: Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
DH: Jake Bennett, DBU
DH: Steve Solorzano, NM State
UTL: Max Knight, Missouri State
SP: Ryan Borberg, DBU
SP: Steven Cash, Jax State
SP: Ben Blair, Liberty
SP: Drew Horn, MTSU
RP: Jackson Sleeper, Jax State
RP: Blake Hooks, LA Tech
In the CUSA Preseason Poll, Liberty was picked to finish seventh with 85 points. Dallas Baptist received nine first-place votes and 141 points as the coaches' choice to finish the year as the conference champion.
Blair was named to the CUSA All-Conference first team in 2025. The right-hander made 15 appearances, all starts, posting a 6-4 record with a 3.67 ERA over 83 1/3 innings. The junior struck out 94 and walked 30, holding opponents to a .235 batting average.
Blair, who was one of three CUSA pitchers on the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List in 2025, finished the year second in CUSA in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was sixth in CUSA in ERA and fifth in opponent batting average. The Gretna, Va., native was also named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 17.
During the 2026 preseason, Blair has already been selected to the 2026 Preseason MLB Draft All-American second team by Over-Slot Baseball and the College All-Underrated team by Baseball America.
Fellow junior Marsh has started every game at shortstop for the Flames since joining the Liberty roster in 2024. Last season, the infielder hit .295 with 52 runs scored, 22 RBI, 11 doubles, and two home runs in 56 games. He also stole a team-high 18 bases and led the Flames with 21 multi-hit games. The Asheboro, N.C., native walked 32 times and posted a .378 on-base percentage.
One of the top defenders in CUSA, Marsh had a .962 fielding percentage, committing nine errors in 236 chances at shortstop. He finished third in the conference with 153 fielding assists.
The 12-team CUSA will play a 30-game regular season schedule with the top eight teams in the standings advancing to the CUSA Baseball Championship.
The 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship will be played May 20-24 at Mickey Dunn Stadium in Kenesaw, Ga. The tournament features a double-elimination bracket with a winner-take-all title game. The winner of the title contest will receive the conference's automatic bid to an NCAA Regional.
2026 CUSA Preseason Baseball Poll
| Rank | School (first-place votes) | Total |
| 1. | DBU (9) | 141 |
| 2. | Louisiana Tech (1) | 111 |
| 3. | Kennesaw State | 108 |
| 4. | Jax State (1) | 102 |
| 5. | WKU | 97 |
| 6. | Missouri State | 90 |
| 7. | Liberty | 85 |
| 8. | FIU | 56 |
| 9. 10. 11. 12. |
NM State (1) Middle Tennessee Delaware Sam |
45 38 37 26 |
2026 Preseason Player of the Year
Chayton Krauss, DBU – Sr. – INF
2026 Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ben Blair, Liberty – Jr. – RHP
2026 Preseason All-Conference Team
C: Grayson Ashe, Jax State
INF: Keaton Grady, DBU
INF: Chayton Krauss, DBU
INF: Tanner Marsh, Liberty
INF: Kyle Hayes, WKU
OF: Cole Cleveland, FIU
OF: Andrew Ildefonso, FIU
OF: Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
DH: Jake Bennett, DBU
DH: Steve Solorzano, NM State
UTL: Max Knight, Missouri State
SP: Ryan Borberg, DBU
SP: Steven Cash, Jax State
SP: Ben Blair, Liberty
SP: Drew Horn, MTSU
RP: Jackson Sleeper, Jax State
RP: Blake Hooks, LA Tech
Players Mentioned
INF
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