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DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls
for the tenth year with its 2008 preseason predictions and weekly
surveys. Weekly polls will continue from Feb. 25 to June 30, following
the NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb.
The poll voters come from 27 college baseball writers and related
media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top
35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top
30.
Arizona State has received the No. 1 preseason nod for the first
time in NCBWA history after coach Pat Murphy’s crew closed 49-15
in 2007. The Sun Devils are the preseason choice to take the Pacific-10
Conference and return one of the top hitting teams in the land along
with an experienced pitching staff. Previous NCBWA preseason No.
1 choices have been LSU (1998, 2001), Southern California (1999),
Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06), Cal State
Fullerton (2005), and Rice (2004, 07). Oregon State is the two-time
defending NCAA Division I champ and is No. 11 in the pre-2008 NCBWA
survey.
This week's poll has representation by 10 different conferences
among the 293 baseball-playing schools in the 2008 NCAA Division
I ranks.
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NCBWA DIVISION I PRESEASON TOP 35 POLL (JAN. 17) |
| Rk. |
School |
Conference |
Record |
Pvs. |
| 1. |
Arizona State |
Pacific-10 |
49-15 |
4 |
| 2. |
North Carolina |
Atlantic Coast |
57-16 |
2 |
| 3. |
Rice |
Conference USA |
56-14 |
3 |
| 4. |
South Carolina |
Southeastern |
46-20 |
8 |
| 5. |
Arizona |
Pacific-10 |
42-17 |
21 |
| 6. |
Texas |
Big 12 |
46-17 |
12 |
| 7. |
Mississippi |
Southeastern |
40-25 |
17 |
| 8. |
Vanderbilt |
Southeastern |
54-13 |
6 |
| 9. |
San Diego |
West Coast |
43-18 |
23 |
| 10. |
Wichita State |
Missouri Valley |
53-22 |
16 |
| 11. |
Oregon State |
Pacific-10 |
49-18 |
1 |
| 12. |
Miami |
Atlantic Coast |
37-24 |
- |
| 13. |
Florida State |
Atlantic Coast |
49-13 |
14 |
| 14. |
Cal State Fullerton |
Big West |
38-25 |
10 |
| 15. |
Michigan |
Big Ten |
42-19 |
20 |
| 16. |
Clemson |
Atlantic Coast |
41-23 |
15 |
| 17. |
Missouri |
Big 12 |
42-18 |
25 |
| 18. |
Long Beach State |
Big West |
39-20 |
27 |
| 19. |
UCLA |
Pacific-10 |
33-28 |
26 |
| 20. |
Texas A&M |
Big 12 |
48-19 |
11 |
| 21. |
Virginia |
Atlantic Coast |
45-16 |
13 |
| 22. |
UC Irvine |
Big West |
47-17 |
5 |
| 23. |
Louisville |
Big East |
47-24 |
8 |
| 24. |
Mississippi
State |
Southeastern |
38-22 |
9 |
| 25. |
Kentucky |
Southeastern |
34-19 |
- |
| 26. |
Baylor |
Big 12 |
35-27 |
- |
| 27. |
Oklahoma State |
Big 12 |
42-21 |
18 |
| 28. |
Louisiana-Lafayette |
Sun Belt |
45-17 |
29 |
| 29. |
Fresno State |
Western Athletic |
38-29 |
- |
| 30. |
Coastal Carolina |
Big South |
50-13 |
19 |
| 31. |
Georgia Tech |
Atlantic Coast |
32-25 |
- |
| 32. |
Pepperdine |
West Coast |
35-22 |
- |
| 33. |
Southern Miss |
Conference USA |
39-23 |
- |
| 34. |
LSU |
Southeastern |
29-26 |
- |
| 35. |
Arkansas |
Southeastern |
43-21 |
22 |
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Others receiving votes (listed alphabetically):
Alabama (31-26), Austin Peay State (40-22), Bethune-Cookman
(33-27), California (29-26), Charlotte (49-12),
College of Charleston (39-19), Creighton (45-16),
East Carolina (40-23), Georgia (23-33), Kent State
(33-26), Louisiana Tech (35-24), Memphis (36-27),
Minnesota (41-18), Nebraska (32-27), New Orleans
(38-26), North Carolina State (38-23), Old Dominion
(35-24), Oral Roberts (40-17), Penn State (31-26),
Sam Houston State (40-24), South Florida (34-26),
Southern California (27-29), Southern Illinois (34-22),
St. John's (41-19), Stetson (42-21), Texas Christian
(48-14), Texas-San Antonio (36-22), Tulane (34-26),
UC Riverside (38-21), UCF (27-32), VMI (34-21),
Wake Forest (34-29), Western Carolina (42-20). |
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By conference: Southeastern 7, Atlantic Coast
6, Big 12 5, Pacific-10 4, Big West 3, Conference
USA 2, West Coast 2, Big East 1, Big South 1, Big
Ten 1, Missouri Valley 1, Sun Belt 1, Western Athletic
1. |
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Records are from the 2007 season; Previous rank
is from final 2007 poll |
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Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of
college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and
publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory,
newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy,
Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA
also sponsors the Pro-Line Athletic Division I Players of the Week, the
Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.
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