Bulldogs ranked 23rd Nationally in Baseball by USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll
Mississippi State has garnered its third and highest preseason national ranking in baseball, picked 23rd in the USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 coaches’ poll.
The Bulldogs, who begin preseason practice Feb. 4 in advance of a Feb. 22 season-opening three-game series Feb. 22-24 at the University of North Florida, were previously ranked 24th by Collegiate Baseball newspaper and 27th in the NCBWA baseball writers poll.
Arizona State heads up the coaches poll. North Carolina, South Carolina, Rice and Arizona complete the top five. ASU picked up 12 first-place votes. ASU instate Pac-10 Conference rival Arizona was next with 10 while two-time defending national champion, Oregon State, 11th in the poll, received four first-place votes.
Mississippi State is one of four Southeastern Conference teams featured in this year’s USA TODAY/ESPN preseason rankings, including No. 3 South Carolina, No. 6 Vanderbilt, No. 8 Mississippi and No. 23 Mississippi State. Seven of the eight other league schools received votes.
The Baseball Bulldogs return 20 lettermen, four starting position players and nine pitchers from the 2007 MSU edition that finished with a 38-22 record and No. 8 national ranking while advancing to the program’s eighth appearance in the NCAA College World Series.
The coaches’ poll is compiled by a panel of 31 NCAA Division I coaches who are members of the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Via Athletic Media Relations
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