Dec. 19, 2011
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech baseball team opens the 2012 season in the Top 10 as Collegiate Baseball Newspaper ranked the Yellow Jackets No. 9 in its Preseason Top 40 poll, which was released Monday.
Tech returns 23 letterwinners from a 2011 team that finished 42-21, won a share of the ACC Coastal Division title and reached the NCAA Regional for the 27th time. A pair of Preseason All-America selections headline the returnees — junior RHP Buck Farmer and sophomore CF Kyle Wren.
The Jackets are one of six ACC teams among the publication’s Top 40 and one of two in the Top 10, joining fourth-ranked North Carolina. Florida State is ranked at No. 13, Miami at No. 14 and Clemson at No. 25. Virginia, which joined UNC in the 2011 College World Series, is ranked No. 33. NC State is listed among the teams receiving votes.
Georgia Tech’s 2012 schedule features road series at NC State (March 9-11), North Carolina (April 20-22) and Virginia (May 11-13), while drawing Florida State (April 6-8), Clemson (April 27-29) and Miami (May 17-19) at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Of the Jacket’s non-conference opponents, Georgia (No. 18) and Georgia Southern (No. 34) are ranked in the Top 40, while Kent State, Winthrop and Charlotte are receiving votes.
For a detailed rundown on the top 40 teams, see the Jan. 6, 2012 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 2012 season begins Friday, Feb. 17 as the Jackets open the three-day, four-game Rock Hill Coca-Cola Classic at Winthrop University. Tech is set to battle both Kent State (2 p.m.) and Winthrop (6 p.m.) on opening day.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s
NCAA Div. I Preseason Top 40 Poll (As of Dec. 19, 2011)
Rank School (’11 Final Record) Points
1. Florida (53-19) 497
2. South Carolina (55-14) 494
3. Stanford (35-22) 490
4. North Carolina (51-16) 488
5. Texas (49-19) 485
6. Texas A&M (47-22) 484
7. Rice (42-21) 482
8. Arkansas (40-22) 479
9. GEORGIA TECH (42-21) 476
10. Texas Christian (43-19) 474
11. St. John’s (36-22) 470
12. Louisiana St. (36-20) 468
13. Florida St. (46-19) 465
14. Miami, Fla. (38-23) 464
15. Louisville (32-29) 460
16. Oklahoma (41-19) 458
17. Arizona St. (43-18) 457
18. Georgia (33-32) 455
19. UCLA (35-24) 454
20. Arizona (39-21) 452
21. Cal. St. Fullerton (41-17) 449
22. California (38-23) 447
23. Vanderbilt (54-12) 445
24. Oregon St. (41-19) 443
25. Clemson (43-20) 437
26. Stetson (43-20) 435
27. Oregon (33-26-1) 432
28. Baylor (31-28) 430
29. U.C. Irvine (43-18) 425
30. Southern Miss. (39-19) 422
31. Missouri St. (33-23) 419
32. College of Charleston (39-22) 417
33. Virginia (56-12) 413
34. Georgia Southern (36-26) 412
35. Texas St. (41-23) 408
36. Central Florida (39-23) 406
37. Wichita St. (39-26) 403
38. Jacksonville (37-24) 400
39. Florida International (40-20-1) 397
40. Southern California (25-31) 395
OTHER TEAMS RECEIVING VOTES: Coastal Carolina, Oklahoma St., Charlotte, East Carolina, Kent St., Creighton, Oral Roberts, Troy, South Alabama, San Diego, Gonzaga, San Francisco, Fresno St., Hawaii, Dallas Baptist, N.C. State, Mississippi St., Auburn, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, Stony Brook, Maine, Connecticut, Seton Hall, Notre Dame, South Florida, Liberty, Winthrop, Purdue, Michigan St., Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas St., Texas Tech., Missouri, Cal Poly, Long Beach St., U.C. Riverside, James Madison, Tulane, Houston, Manhattan, Rider, Central Michigan, Illinois St., New Mexico, San Diego St., Nevada-Las Vegas, Austin Peay St., Samford, Elon, N.C. Greensboro, S.E. Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, San Jose St., New Mexico St., Cal. St. Bakersfield.
