The College of Charleston baseball team has been picked by Baseball America magazine to win its third consecutive Southern Conference championship and make a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Cougars were 48-15 overall and 27-3 in league play last season.

The Cougars, who sport a 95-31 record over the past two seasons, have a number of individuals receiving honors from the magazine. Here's a look at Baseball America's predicted order of finish in the Southern Conference and its individual awards:

Predicted Order of Finish
1. College of Charleston
2. Georgia Southern
3. Western Carolina
4. Elon
5. The Citadel
6. UNC Greensboro
7. Furman
8. Davidson
9. Appalachian State
10. Wofford

Projected NCAA Teams (1): College of Charleston

PLAYERS TO WATCH
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
* 2005 conference leader
C--Alex Entrekin, Sr., Davidson (.350-6-41)
1B--Greg Dowling, Sr., Georgia Southern (.400-5-57)
2B--Chris Cambell, Jr., Charleston (.379-*15-*87)
3B--Jay Heafner, Sr., Davidson (*.448-11-58)
SS--Matt Matulia, Jr., The Citadel (.301-10-47)
OF--Phillip Coker, Sr., Charleston (.386-1-35, 23 SB);
Chris Price, Sr., Elon (.379-4-53);
Steven Strausbaugh, So., Western Carolina (.367-12-51);
DH--A.J. Davidiuk, Sr., Furman (.340-7-46)

Starting Pitchers,
Graham Godfrey, Jr., Charleston (8-1, 0.93, 78 IP/88 SO at Wallace State-Hanceville, Ala., CC);Dustin Evans, Jr., Georgia Southern (9-5, 4.14, 104 IP/97 SO); Everett Teaford, Jr., Georgia Southern (9-3, 3.99, 120 IP/118 SO)

Relief Pitcher
Danny Meszaros, So., Charleston (6-1, 1.96)

Player of the Year
Chris Campbell, 2b, College of Charleston

Pitcher of the Year
Everett Teaford, lhp, Georgia Southern

Top Newcomers:
1. Alex Garadbedian, c, Charleston (.255-3-29 at Miami)
2. Graham Godfrey, rhp, Charleston
3. Brock Thornburg, rhp, Western Carolina (Jr., Tr.--Spartanburg Methodist JC)

PROJECTED TOP PROSPECTS, 2006-07 DRAFTS
1. Dustin Evans, rhp, Georgia Southern
2. Graham Godfrey, rhp, Charleston
3. #Alex Garadbedian, c, Charleston
# Not eligible for 2006 draft

BEST TOOLS
Best Pure Hitter--Chris Campbell, Charleston
Best Raw Power--Grant Rembert, Elon
Best Strike-Zone Discipline--Chris Price, Elon
Best Athlete--Paul Bennett, Elon
Fastest Runner--Barrett Shaft, Western Carolina
Best Baserunner-- Phillip Coker, Charleston
Best Defensive Catcher--Drew Davis, Elon
Catcher/Best Arm--Blake Murphy, Western Carolina
Best Defensive First Baseman--Chris Swauger, The Citadel
Best Defensive Second Baseman--Chris Campbell, Charleston
Best Defensive Third Baseman--Jess Easterling, Charleston
Best Defensive Shortstop--Mark Matulia, The Citadel
Infielder/Best Arm--Jess Easterling, Charleston
Best Defensive Outfielder--Trent Weathers, The Citadel
Outfielder/Best Arm--Steven Stausburgh, Western Carolina
Best Fastball--Dustin Evans, Georgia Southern
Best Breaking Ball-- Everett Teaford, Georgia Southern
Best Control-- Everett Teaford, Georgia Southern

SHORT HOPS

? A year after setting records with 25 conference wins and 47 wins overall, College of Charleston eclipsed both marks with 27 SoCon wins and 48 total wins. The Cougars put up all those wins because they put up so many runs. The team's .355 average and 174 doubles led the nation, and its 8.8 runs per game ranked fourth. Some of the key contributors to those numbers left for pro careers, including OF Brett Gardner (Yankees, third round), who tied for the national lead with 122 hits, ranked second in average (.447) and runs (85) and seventh in steals (38). 1B D.J. Wabick (Mets, 25th round) ranked third in doubles (27), fifth in hits (108) and batted .415. Still, this offense should still score in bunches with the return of junior 2B Chris Campbell (.379-15-87), who led the nation in RBIs and the conference in homers, and senior OF Phillip Coker (.497 on-base percentage). Three transfers will help fill out the lineup around them: sophomore C Alex Garabedian, who left Miami in search of more playing time after being a seventh-round pick out of high school in 2004, and OFs Larry Cobb (Manatee, Fla., JC) and Joey Friddle (South Carolina). Charleston also must replace its top two pitchers from last season, starter Ryan Edell (8-2, 3.67) and closer Brett Harker (5-0, 2.47, 15 SV), a fifth-round pick of the Phillies after winning SoCon pitcher of the year honors.

? Junior RHP Graham Godfrey should impress with his 90-93 mph fastball and power breaking ball after transferring to the College of Charleston following a junior-college all-America season, but Georgia Southern offers the league's best one-two punch in junior RHPs Everett Teaford (9-3, 3.99), who offers the league's best breaking ball and command, and Dustin Evans (9-5, 4.14), who owns the SoCon's best fastball. Evans is capable of throwing in the mid-90s.