FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana is favored to defend its Southland Conference regular-season baseball championship by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference announced Tuesday.
The coaches and sports information directors had nearly the same outcome with just two teams flopped. The Lions were the overwhelming favorite in both polls, receiving 10 first-place votes from each group. Southeastern La. tallied 141 total points from the coaches and 140 points from the SIDs. The Lions return 24 letterwinners from their 2015 Southland Conference regular-season championship team including 15 returning position players and 10 returning pitchers. Among returns for the Lions is the 2015 Southland Conference Player of the Year junior outfielder Jacob Seward. Southland Conference Coach of The Year Matt Riser returns at the helm for his third season as the Lions completed the 2015 season 42-17 overall and 25-5 in league action for their first regular-season title in program history.
Northwestern State is predicted to finish second to the Lions with two first-place votes in each the coaches and SID poll. The coaches allocated 121 points to the Demons while the SIDs tallied 118 total points. Northwestern State returns 18 players from last year’s squad with nine position players including 2015 Hitter of the Year Cort Brinson returning for his senior season and nine pitchers with junior Adam Oller leading the Demons from the mound.
The coaches slated Sam Houston State to finish the regular season in third with 113 points while the SIDs picked the Bearkats to finish in fourth place with 109 points. The SIDs have McNeese State slated third with 117 points and the coaches have the Cowboys in fourth with 110 points.
Sam Houston State completed the 2015 regular season 17-12 in league play to earn the No. 5 seed leading into the tournament, but made a run to the championship game before falling short earning the runner-up trophy. The Bearkats return seven starters with the addition of three non-starters on the mound.
McNeese State ended conference action with an 18-12 mark at the end of last season. The Cowboys return 18 letterwinners including six starting positions players and four starting pitchers.
The coaches and SIDs voted Nicholls to finish fifth in the regular season. The coaches tallied 1-5 total points while the SIDs tallied 103 points. The Colonels completed the 2015 season third in league action and return 20 letterwinners. Among returners are 2015 Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year Justin Sinibaldi and Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Kyle Reese.
Central Arkansas is picked to finished in sixth place with 92 points for each the coaches and SIDs. The Bears return 19 letterwinners including five starters while welcoming 16 newcomers to the team.
2015 Southland Conference tournament championship Houston Baptist are slated to finish the season in seventh place receiving one first-place vote from each the coaches and SIDs. The sports information directors tallied 85 points while the coaches combined for 82 total points for the Huskies. Houston Baptist returns 16 letterwinners from last year’s NCAA tournament team including five starters.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is picked eighth with 76 points from the SIDs and 73 points from the coaches. The Islanders return four starting position players and two starting pitchers.
Coaches and SIDs voted Lamar to finish in ninth place with 48 points in each poll for the Cardinals. Lamar returns 16 letterwinners including three starting position players and three starting position players.
Stephen F. Austin is picked 10th with 43 points from the SIDs and 42 points from the coaches. The Lumberjacks return 17 letterwinners including five pitchers while welcoming 18 newcomers.
Abilene Christian, UIW and New Orleans complete the preseason poll, respectively. The Wildcats totaled 41 points from the SIDs and 38 points from the coaches. The Cardinals claimed 29 points from coaches and 24 from SIDs while New Orleans received 20 points from the coaches and 18 from the SIDs.
Additionally, Abilene Christian and UIW are ineligible for postseason play until the 2018 season.
Opening day of the Southland season is Feb. 19 with conference play beginning March 4. The Southland Conference tournament will be played May 25-28 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
Coaches
Rk. University (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Southeastern Louisiana (10) 141
2. Northwestern State (2) 121
3. Sam Houston State 113
4. McNeese State 110
5. Nicholls 105
6. Central Arkansas 92
7. Houston Baptist (1) 82
8. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 73
9. Lamar 48
10. Stephen F. Austin 42
11. Abilene Christian 38
12. UIW 29
13. New Orleans 20
Sports Information Directors
Rk. University (First-Place Votes) Points
1. Southeastern Louisiana (10) 140
2. Northwestern State (2) 118
3. McNeese State 117
4. Sam Houston State 109
5. Nicholls 103
6. Central Arkansas 92
7. Houston Baptist (1) 85
8. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 76
9. Lamar 48
10. Stephen F. Austin 43
11. Abilene Christian 41
12. UIW 24
13. New Orleans 18
