This is the first ranking in the preseason poll since 2001.
2011
-Injuries hampered his sophomore season, but he still started 38 games, 34 of which came in the outfield and four were at third base
-Hit .279 with nine doubles, two home runs, 20 RBI and 13 runs, all while making just one error in the field
-Started the USF game (5/3) but was injured in the first inning and had to sit out the remainder of the season
-Delivered a 2-for-3 performance with a double, RBI and run vs. Houston (4/29)
-Went on a nine-game hitting streak (4/8-22)
-Drove in three runs, all with two outs, on a pair of singles vs. Florida (4/20)
-Started twice in the ECU series (4/15-17) and went 3-for-8 with a pair of doubles
-Collected two hits with a RBI in game one at Rice (3/25)
-Banged out two doubles, drove in one and scored once vs. Columbia (3/19)
-Doubled, stole a base and scored a run vs. USF (3/15)
-Had two hits with a RBI vs. MSU (3/8)
-Was a perfect 4-for-4 with a stolen base vs. Dartmouth (3/4)
-Crushed a pair of two-run homers in the eighth and ninth innings in a five-RBI day vs. Alabama (2/27)
-Made 2011 debut as a pinch-hitter at South Alabama (2/25), and hit the first pitch he saw for a RBI single
-Missed first four games with an injury
2010
-Selected as a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
-Named a Ping!Baseball Third Team Freshman All-American
-Honored as the 2010 C-USA Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team
-Tabbed as the SEBaseball.com C-USA Freshman of the Year, and received a spot on the website's All-C-USA Second Team
-Served as the backup catcher to start the year before taking advantage of an opportunity to evolve into UCF's every day third baseman
-Paced all freshmen in C-USA at the close of the regular season with 19 doubles, 117 total bases, a .557 slugging percentage and a .960 OPS
-Hit .352 overall with eight homers, 47 RBI, 49 runs and 10 HBP
-Posted a .955 fielding percentage at the hot corner
-Had 13 multi-RBI games
-Amassed three hits including a double vs. ECU (5/16)
-Went 3-for-5 with three RBI, a run and a double vs. ECU (5/14)
-Doubled three times before crushing a two-run homer in a four-hit, four-run game at JU (5/12)
-Finished the FAU game (5/4) by going 4-for-6 with two runs scored
-Completed the comeback (down 7-0) with a solo homer in the seventh in a three-hit day and a win over Memphis (4/30)
-Busted out for four hits, three RBI and three runs including a solo homer at UNF (4/20)
-Notched two hits in all three games at USM (4/9-11), highlighted by a three-run HR in game one and the game-winning RBI hit in the 10th inning one day later
-Posted a hit with two runs and two RBI vs. UAB (4/2)
-Racked up four RBI on three hits with a double and a homer vs. B-CU (3/30)
-Doubled in a two-hit game at Miami (3/23)
-Finished with five RBI on a three-run homer and a two-run double vs. Presbyterian (3/19)
-Drove in a pair on two hits at Stetson (3/17)
-Posted a .786 average at the plate in the Hartford series (3/13-14), going 11-for-14 with 10 runs, four doubles, five RBI and a homer
-Dominated Siena (2/26-28) going 7-for-12 at the plate with five runs and five RBI, as well as amassing three doubles and three runs in the finale
-Entered as a pinch-hitter with two outs in the eighth and proceeded to recorded his first collegiate base hit, a RBI single that gave UCF the lead for good vs. Savannah State (2/21)
Prior to UCF
-Played for coach Randy O'Neal at Olympia High School
-Named to the 2009 Orlando Sentinel All-Central Florida Second Team
-Was a First-Team All-Metro Conference selection as well as a senior
-Part of the best record in school history (21-5), posting a .345 average with 24 runs, 15 RBI and a .435 slugging percentage for a team that won the Orlando National Baseball Classic Tournament
-In 2008, was an All-Metro Conference First Team selection at third base by going .429 at the plate with 10 doubles and school-records of six homers and 34 RBI, all while finishing the year with a 1.087 OPS
-Hit .424 with 26 RBI as a sophomore to help the squad claim the district title
-Member of Chet Lemon's Juice AAU national championship program, as well as the Windermere Wildcats which claimed one AAU state title
-Served as a Florida Diamond Club participant in the fall of 2008
Personal
-Born May 22, 1991
-Son of Jim and Jody Taladay
-Has one sister, Nicole
-Undecided on a major
