GREENVILLE, N.C. — A season-opening three-game homestand, which includes a meeting with perennial ACC contender Virginia Tech, and in-state battles at North Carolina and N.C. State highlight East Carolina’s 2013 football schedule, released Wednesday by Conference USA.

While contests against the Hokies (Sept. 14), Tar Heels (Sept. 28) and Wolfpack (Nov. 23) continue long-standing series, the Pirates will face four opponents for the first time this fall. In addition to C-USA newcomers Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Middle Tennessee, ECU will welcome Old Dominion to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to kick off the campaign on Aug. 31.

Golf

Ben Hogan Award: N.C. State junior Albin Choi and Duke’s Julian Suri are among 27 named to the the Ben Hogan Award watch list on Wednesday by the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, The Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The Ben Hogan Award is presented annually to the top men’s college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the past 12-month period.

Baseball

Big South: Campbell’s infielder Michael Felton has been named the Big South’s Preseason Co-Player of the Year and the Camels were picked to finish second in the North Division, as voted on by the conference’s coaches and announced from Charlotte.

Felton, who was named Preseason First Team All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), hit .424 in 2012 and had a Big South record 103 hits.

Felton shares preseason honors with Radford shortstop Jeff Kemp.

The Camels were picked behind Liberty in the North Division, notching six first place votes. the Flames garnered seven. High Point, Radford, VMI and Longwood round out the North Division Poll.

Coastal Carolina earned all 12 first place votes in the South Division, topping Gardner-Webb, Charleston Southern, Winthrop, UNC Asheville and Presbyterian.

The Camels open the season at home on Feb. 15 against Eastern Michigan at the new Jim Perry Stadium.

East Carolina: East Carolina juniors Jack Reinheimer (shortstop) and Drew Reynolds (infielder) have been named preseason First-Team All-Conference USA, as chosen by the league’s nine head coaches.

Reinheimer was the lone member of the Pirates to start all 61 games last season, posting a .294 batting average with 36 runs scored. He was second on the team in stolen bases (9) and third in doubles (11), while adding a pair of home runs and 22 RBI.

Reynolds ranked second on the team with a .330 batting average in 54 games. He started 48 games as the Pirates designated hitter. On the mound, he led the team with 10 saves, posting a 3-0 record in 21 appearances and a 3.00 ERA.

East Carolina was picked to finish third in the conference, behind Rice and Southern Miss.

Lacrosse

Two from Duke and three from North Carolina have been named to the 18-player U.S. Women’s National Team that will compete in the Federation of International Lacrosse World Cup from July 11-20 in Oshawa, Ontario.

The Blue Devil’s Sarah Bullard, a 2011 graduate, and goalkeeper Megan Huether (2006) will join the the team alongside UNC’s Kristen Carr, Amber Falcone and Jenn Russell. Tar Heel’s assistant coach Katrina Dowd grabbed a spot on the attack unit on the team.

Wrestling

Campbell: 197-pounder John Merickel has been named the Southern Conference wrestler of the week for all competition from Jan. 23-29, the league office announced.

Merickel went 2-0 with a pin to help the Camels to a 2-0 week in SoCon action.

Against the Bulldogs, Merickel picked up his third pin of the season, sticking Marshall Haas in 3 minutes, 45 seconds. Merickel’s win put Campbell ahead 12-0.

Against Gardner-Webb, Merickel topped Blake Salyer 6-0.