Dec. 20, 2010
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Georgia Tech baseball team is ranked No. 19 in Collegiate Baseball newspaper’s 2011 preseason poll, which was released Monday.
The Jackets return 20 letterwinners from a 2010 team that went 47-15 and advanced to the finals of the NCAA Atlanta Regional. Two position players and two starting pitchers are back for Tech, including juniors Jed Bradley (RHP), Mark Pope (RHP) and Matt Skole (INF). All three were named to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team last Friday.
The team welcomes 17 highly-touted freshmen for the 2011 season, a group that was ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation by Collegiate Baseball back in September.
The Jackets are one of five Atlantic Coast Conference teams in the publication’s top-20, as six ACC teams overall are represented in the “Fabulous 40” preseason poll. The five teams in the top-20 are the most of any conference.
Clemson is ranked the highest in the conference at No. 4, while Florida State is ranked No. 13, followed by Virginia (17th), Miami (18th) and Georgia Tech (19th). North Carolina rounds out the ACC contingent with a No. 27 ranking in the 40-team poll.
For a detailed rundown on the top 40 teams, see the Jan. 7, 2011 edition of “Collegiate Baseball” newspaper which also includes complete details of all top players in each NCAA Division I conference.
The “Collegiate Baseball” Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1958 college baseball season.
The 2011 season begins Friday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. as the Jackets host Kent State for a three-game series at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(As of Dec. 20, 2010)
Rank School (’10 Final Record) Points
1. Texas Christian (54-14) 495
2. Florida (47-17) 494
3. UCLA (51-17) 493
4. Clemson (45-25) 489
5. Vanderbilt (46-20) 486
6. Oklahoma (50-18) 483
7. Texas (50-13) 481
8. Texas A&M (43-21-1) 480
9. Oregon (40-24) 479
10. Stanford (31-25) 474
11. Arizona St. (52-10) 473
12. Cal. St. Fullerton (46-18) 470
13. Florida St. (48-20) 469
14. South Carolina (54-16) 467
15. Louisiana St. (41-22) 465
16. Connecticut (48-16) 462
17. Virginia (51-14) 457
18. Miami, Fla. (43-20) 455
19. Georgia Tech. (47-15) 454
20. Louisville (50-14) 451
21. Rice (40-23) 450
22. Arizona (34-24) 445
23. Wichita St. (41-19) 443
24. Coastal Carolina (55-10) 440
25. Auburn (43-21) 437
26. St. John’s (43-20) 435
27. North Carolina (38-32) 434
28. San Diego (37-22) 427
29. Fresno St. (38-25) 426
30. Pittsburgh (38-18) 425
31. Washington St. (37-22) 422
32. Arkansas (43-21) 418
33. California (29-25) 417
34. U.C. Irvine (39-21) 414
35. College of Charleston (44-19) 412
36. Florida Atlantic (37-24) 409
37. Kansas St. (37-22) 407
38. Hawaii (35-28) 402
39. Baylor (36-24) 401
40. Kent St. (39-25) 398
Other Teams Receiving Votes: Florida International, U.C. Riverside, N.C. State, Oregon St., Mississippi, Kentucky, Southern California, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi St., Oklahoma St., Missouri, South Florida, Nebraska, Cal Poly, Long Beach St., U.C. Santa Barbara, Florida Gulf Coast, Liberty, Minnesota, Michigan, James Madison, Southern Mississippi, East Carolina, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Bethune-Cookman, Illinois St., San Diego St., Tennessee Tech., The Citadel, Texas St., Northwestern St., Oral Roberts, Louisiana Lafayette, Western Kentucky, Lamar, Portland, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, Nevada, New Mexico St., San Jose St., Charlotte, Mercer, East Tennessee St., Jacksonville, Georgia St., Tulane, Utah Valley St., New Mexico, Stony Brook, Iowa, Wisc.-Milwaukee, Canisius, Bryant, Jacksonville St., Dallas Baptist, Le Moyne.
