Baseball Tabbed Second in MAC East
2/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2012
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Miami Baseball team has been picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference East Division, according the the annual coaches' poll announced Wednesday. Kent State, which finished 2011 ranked 26th by Collegiate Baseball after winning the MAC regular-season and tournament championships, is favored to repeat in the East, while Central Michigan was picked to win the West.
Miami finished the 2011 season with a 35-25 record, the program's most wins since 2005, and advanced to the tournament's championship game after going through bracket play undefeated. An 18-9 league record in the regular season was the best since registering 19 wins in 2003. A total of 15 letterwinners return for this season, including first-team All-MAC selection Mac Thoreson, who will start tomorrow's season opener at Furman.
After Kent State and Miami, the East Division poll ranked Bowling Green third, Ohio fourth and Akron fifth. Buffalo rounded out this year's East Division predictions.
Toledo was picked to finish second in the West Division and was followed by Eastern Michigan in third. Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Ball State rounded out the remaining spots in the West.
The MAC baseball season begins on Feb. 17, while conference play starts up Friday, March 23. The season will culminate with the MAC Baseball Tournament, which takes place May 23-26 for the first time at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
2012 MAC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
MAC East Division
1. Kent State - 59 points
2. Miami - 48 points
3. Bowling Green - 36 points
4. Ohio - 34 points
5. Akron - 17 points
6. Buffalo - 16 points
MAC West Division
1. Central Michigan - 54 points
2. Toledo - 45 points
3. Eastern Michigan - 43 points
4. Northern Illinois - 36 points
5. Western Michigan - 21 points
6. Ball State - 11 points
MAC Tournament Champion
Kent State (7), Central Michigan (1), Toledo (1), Eastern Michigan (1), Miami (1)
*Akron coaching staff chose not to vote in the preseason poll due to being new to the league this season
