As the Lancers prepare for the 2016 season, it was announced Tuesday that Longwood’s senior first baseman Connar Bastaich was selected to the 2016 Preseason All-Big South First Team by CollegeSportsMadness.com.

Bastaich became the third Lancer in the past two seasons to be selected to CollegeSportsMadness.com’s Preseason All-Big South First Team, joining former Lancers Aaron Myers and Brandon Delk from 2015.

Bastaich, a product of Midlothian, returns for his senior season at first base after starting all 56 games a season ago.

A 2015 Second-Team All-Big South selection by CollegeSportsMadness.com, Bastaich was a solid offensive contributor as a junior.

Bastaich led Longwood in hits (69), multi-hit games (20), and had the longest hitting streak of the season at 12 games.

The senior also flashed the leather at first base, leading team qualifiers in fielding position (.986), and committed seven errors in 499 chances last season.

Bastaich joined Longwood in 2015 after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Potomac State Community College.

The Lancers went 22-34 (9-15) in 2015 and won an elimination game in the Big South Tournament, knocking off fourth-seeded Liberty 4-3.

The 2016 Lancers team features 18 returners and 12 newcomers.

The Longwood Lancers begin the 2016 campaign at East Carolina on Feb. 19.