IRVING, Texas – The Southern Miss middle infield combination of Brian Dozier and James Ewing have earned spots on the Conference USA Preseason All-Conference team as selected by the leagues coaches announced today by the Conference office.

“These two guys are two of the best players I have ever coached and I am glad they are the nucleus for this 2009 team,” head coach Corky Palmer said. “You can easily see the numbers they put up offensively but the numbers do not show what outstanding defensive players they are.”

Dozier returns for his fourth year as the Southern Miss shortstop in 2009 after starting at least 60 games the three previous seasons. He is a career .348 hitter that has played in 96 consecutive games dating back to the 2007 season. Last season the league’s coaches tabbed him as a second team all C-USA player.

Ewing enters 2009 as the Golden Eagle second baseman for the third consecutive year after leading the team with a .359 average in 2008. Last season he hit .398 in C-USA play with a .648 slugging percentage and a .481 on base percentage earning first team All C-USA honors at the conclusion of the season.

The league’s coaches also chose the Golden Eagles to finish in third place behind Rice and East Carolina. Southern Miss was picked ahead of Tulane and Houston.

Southern Miss will open the 2009 season on February 20 as they host Lehigh University for a three game series at “The Pete.”