DAYTON – Collegiate Baseball Newspaper released its conference projections Friday, with the University of Dayton baseball team picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 and five student-athletes named as players to watch by the publication.
 
VCU was projected to top the conference after knocking off UD in the Atlantic 10 Championship Game in 2021. Rhode Island, who the Flyers defeated to advance to the conference title game, was picked second in the poll followed by Dayton. Saint Joseph's and Davidson rounded out the top five.
 
Junior outfielder Jose Martinez was the first of five Flyers highlighted as players to watch. Martinez comes from Monroe College where he finished last season with a .367 batting average and eight home runs. Senior first baseman Marcos Pujols was also highlighted after being selected to the All-Conference First Team as a designated hitter and to the Second Team as a first baseman.
 
Graduate student Kenny Serwa headlined the pitching staff after transferring to Dayton from Central Florida and making 11 starts for UCF compiling 51 strikeouts in 52.2 innings pitched. Sophomore Parker Bard also made the list after making the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team last season with a 3-0 record on the mound. Finishing off the list for the Flyers was senior Bryce Hellgeth, who struck out 46 hitters in just 34 innings in 2021.