Baseball ranked No. 17 in NAIA Preseason poll
Three returning all-conference pitchers bolster top 20 preseason ranking for Bruins...
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Bellevue University baseball team opens the 2013 season ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Preseason poll released today by the NAIA national office.
The Bruins' return three first team all-conference pitchers (Michael Calderon, Kody McFarland, and Robert Greco) as well as second team All-American outfielder Tanner Moore and all-MCAC catcher Ryan Knutz from last season's squad that finished with a 40-21 overall record, winning the MCAC regular season with a 17-3 mark, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the second-straight year.
Moore was named the 2012 MCAC Player of the Year and is a preseason All-American pick. Calderon earned MCAC Pitcher of the Year honors last season
Defending national champion Tennessee Wesleyan tops the poll. The Bulldogs, who outscored their opponents 68-32 over six games en route to the program's first-ever Avista-NAIA World Series title last season, were awarded all 17 first-place votes and 528 points.
The Bruins open the 2013 season with a four-game series against Mt. Mercy College at the Minneapolis Metrodome on Feb. 7-8.
2012-13 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll (Nov. 13)
|
RANK |
LAST TIME^ |
SCHOOL (1ST PLACE VOTES) |
2012 RECORD |
TOTAL POINTS |
|
1 |
1 |
Tennessee Wesleyan (17) |
53-12 |
528 |
|
2 |
3 |
LSU Shreveport (La.) |
54-6 |
501 |
|
3 |
4 |
Lee (Tenn.) (2) |
56-11-1 |
493 |
|
4 |
5 |
Oklahoma City |
48-12 |
486 |
|
5 |
2 |
Rogers State (Okla.) |
49-16 |
454 |
|
6 |
6 |
Point Park (Pa.) |
53-11 |
445 |
|
7 |
9 |
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) |
43-17 |
430 |
|
8 |
8 |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
42-14 |
395 |
|
9 |
13 |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
48-13 |
387 |
|
10 |
12 |
Oklahoma Baptist |
47-14 |
372 |
|
11 |
16 |
Concordia (Calif.) |
38-18 |
362 |
|
12 |
14 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
43-16 |
339 |
|
13 |
15 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
42-12 |
325 |
|
14 |
18 |
Missouri Baptist |
39-16 |
322 |
|
15 |
20 |
Sterling (Kan.) |
45-14 |
250 |
|
16 |
22 |
Lubbock Christian (Texas) |
35-22 |
239 |
|
17 |
RV |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
40-21 |
209 |
|
18 |
17 |
Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) |
38-24 |
208 |
|
19 |
RV |
St. Francis (Ill.) |
40-17 |
207 |
|
20 |
19 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
45-11 |
192 |
|
21 |
7 |
South Carolina Beaufort |
41-18 |
160 |
|
22 |
RV |
Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) |
36-23 |
140 |
|
23 |
RV |
Doane (Neb.) |
36-21 |
135 |
|
24 |
NR |
Madonna (Mich.) |
35-21 |
132 |
|
25 |
21 |
Judson (Ill.) |
47-14 |
120 |
Others receiving votes: Taylor (Ind.) 115; Indiana Tech 68; York (Neb.) 65; Tabor (Kan.) 54; Peru State (Neb.) 44; Bryan (Tenn.) 39; British Columbia 34; Southern Poly (Ga.) 32; Biola (Calif.) 31; College of Idaho 23; Cumberland (Tenn.) 13; Texas Wesleyan 11; Avila (Mo.) 10; Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 4; Indiana Southeast 3; Davenport (Mich.) 3