Owls Third In USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Preseason Poll
1/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 22, 2009
USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll web site
NEW YORK -- The Rice baseball team was ranked third in the nation in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' preseason poll for 2009, the publication announced on Thursday (Jan. 22).
The coaches' poll is the third time that the Owls have been picked as high as third in the 2009 preseason. Collegiate Baseball magazine tabbed the Owls for a No. 3 preseason ranking last December. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association also had Rice ranked third heading into the 2009 campaign. Earlier this week Baseball America had the Blue & Gray ranked 7th in its preseason poll.
Rice baseball is coming off a third-straight trip to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Since 1996 the Owls have won 13-consecutive conference championships spanning three different college baseball leagues.
The team's first practice, under head coach Wayne Graham in his 18th season at the helm of the program, is set for Feb. 1. The 2009 Rice baseball season begins with a three-game weekend series on the road against Cal Poly beginning on Feb. 20. The Owls' official home-opener at Reckling Park is set for Feb. 25 against crosstown rival Houston at 4 pm.
A link to the complete poll is provided above. The preseason top 25 is as fllows:
2009 USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Preseason Poll
Rank School (first-place votes) Record - Points
1 LSU (14) 49-19-1 738
2 North Carolina (12) 54-14 737
3 Rice (1) 47-15 673
4 Georgia 45-25-1 600
5 Texas A&M (2) 46-19 590
6 Stanford (1) 41-24-2 576
7 Arizona State 49-13 533
8 Cal State Fullerton 41-22 507
9t Florida State 54-14 500
9t Texas 39-22 500
11 Mississippi 39-26 431
12 Georgia Tech 41-21 327
13 Oklahoma State 44-18 321
14 Miami (Fla.) 53-11 320
15 San Diego 44-17 304
16 Louisville 41-21 292
17 Baylor 32-26 269
18 UC-Irvine 42-18 262
19 Fresno State 47-31 247
20 Missouri 39-21 224
21 Pepperdine 38-21 156
22 UCLA 33-27 140
23 Florida 34-24 112
24 Coastal Carolina 50-14 102
25 Clemson 31-27-1 80