Complete Poll (PDF)
The Augustana baseball team has been picked to finish sixth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the NSIC office announced today.
Augustana, which finished sixth in its first season in the NSIC, received a total of 106 points to hold down the No. 6 spot in a tight vote. The Vikings were only 14 points out of third place.
Defending NSIC tournament champion Minnesota State University, Mankato, is the preseason favorite to win the conference title in 2010. The Mavericks received 7 first-place votes and a total of 151 points. Wayne State, the 2009 regular season champion, earned 5 first-place votes and 148 points to finish just behind MSU. Rounding out the top 5 are Southwest Minnesota State, Winona State and St. Cloud State, which received the remaining first-place vote.
Augustana, under second-year head coach
Tim Huber, returns 21 letterwinners from a team that went 27-23 overall and finished sixth in the NSIC with a 17-14 league record. The Vikings return 6 position starters, including junior outfielder/catcher
Nate Baumann, and 3 starting pitchers. In addition, junior closer
Bret Severtson returns after setting the Augustana and NSIC record for saves in a season last spring. Baumann was named to the 2010 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America Second Team, while Severtson was a Third Team selection.
The Vikings open the season on Sunday, February 7, with a doubleheader against Rockhurst. The teams are scheduled to play in the Metrodome beginning at 5 p.m.
2010 NSIC Baseball Pre-Season Coaches' Poll
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1
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Minnesota State (7)
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151
|
|
2
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Wayne State (5)
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148
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|
3
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Southwest Minnesota State
|
120
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|
4
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Winona State
|
118
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|
5
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St. Cloud State (1)
|
114
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6
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Augustana
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106
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7
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Upper Iowa
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92
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8
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Concordia-St. Paul
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82
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|
9
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Minnesota Duluth
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76
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|
10
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U-Mary
|
53
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11
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Bemidji State
|
51
|
|
12
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Minnesota, Crookston
|
30
|
|
13
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Northern State
|
29
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First place votes in ( )
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NSIC Preseason Player of the Year: Joe Wendte, Wayne State
NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Adam Schrader, Southwest Minnesota State
