BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four Wildcats have been named Preseason All-SWAC performers, the conference announced Monday from its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.

Starting pitcher Tanner Boccabello and closer Pablo Torres were named to the first-team, while outfielder Sergio Rivera and first baseman Manny Souffrain were named to the second team. 

In his first season with the Wildcats, Tanner Boccabello was the top Friday-night arm in the SWAC, finishing the season with a 7-2 record in 13 starts heading into the final weekend of the season. Boccabello finished the season ranked 13^th in the country in ERA and tops in the SWAC at 2.38 and fifth in the country in innings pitched at 83.1. Boccabello allowed only 20 earned runs on the season, the best mark in the conference while also walking a SWAC-low 14 batters to 59 strikeouts, with opposing batters hitting only .274 against him. Boccabello was named SWAC Pitcher of the week on two separate occasions in 2024, March 26 and April 9. On April 22, Boccabello tossed a complete-game shutout over Florida A&M with six strikeouts to only four hits. Boccabello worked into the seventh or deeper six times and into the eighth or later four times. He exited starts allowing no earned runs four times, and struck out five or more batters in a start eight times.

No SWAC reliever recorded more saves than Pablo Torres, who notched six heading into the final weekend of the season. Torres finished third in the SWAC in ERA at 3.42 in 17 appearances and 23.2 total innings pitched. Torres struck out 29 on the season with only 12 walks, with opponents hitting only .159 against him with a 1.06 WHIP. Torres did not allow a run in 12 appearances on the season, and struck out at least three four times, including a 2.2 inning, six-strikeout appearance in a win over the ACC's Miami on April 17.

Appearing in 57 games for Bethune-Cookman, Sergio Rivera anchored the heart of the B-CU batting order, recording a .283 batting average with a team-high 13 doubles, team-leading 43 runs scored, three triples, 35 RBI, and 23 stolen bases on 28 attempts – sixth-best in the SWAC. Rivera recorded 15 muti-hit games, including three three-hit games. He recorded multiple RBI in six games and boasted a 19-game on-base streak. Rivera finished the year with a .972 fielding percentage in the outfield with six outfield assists.

Miami native Manny Souffrain enjoyed an outstanding season at the first base spot for Bethune-Cookman. In 57 games, the junior topped his team with five homers, including a grand slam at Florida A&M. He finished with a team-best .946 OPS, a top-10 mark in the SWAC. Souffrain finished second on B-CU with a .286 average, and first with a .494 OBP, the third-best mark in the conference. Souffrain walked 53 times on the season, second in the conference, and took 19 hit-by-pitches, third in the SWAC. Souffrain recorded 48 hits, nine doubles, a pair of triples, and 37 RBI on the year. He also stole eight bases on nine total attempts. In the field, Souffrain recorded a .990 fielding percentage, 26 assists and 24 double-plays turned. Souffrain recorded hitting streaks of 12 and 21 games during the season. He posted eight multi-RBI games, including a five-RBI contest at Florida A&M on May 4.  Souffrain was named SWAC Co-Player of the Week on March 12.

Elsewhere across the league, Jackson State's Jordan McCladdie was named Player of the Year, while Caleb Granger took home Pitcher of the Year honors. 

The Wildcats and Prairie View A&M tied for the conference lead with four on the All-SWAC Team. 

Defending SWAC Champions Grambling State were predicted to repeat according to conference head coaches and sports information directors. Grambling State collected 156 points with seven first-place votes, with the Wildcats checking in at number two with 150 points and three first-place votes. They were folled by Jackson State (146), Alabama State (142), FAMU (140), and Southern (119) to round-out the top half. 

The Wildcats open the 2025 season on Friday, Feb. 14 as they host Stony Brook out of the Colonial Athletic Association. First pitch of the 2025 season is set for 7 p.m. from Jackie Robinson Ballpark. 


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