Virginia Ranked No. 3 in Preseason Collegiate Baseball Poll
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia baseball team is ranked No. 3 nationally in Collegiate Baseball‘s “Fabulous 40” NCAA Division I Preseason Poll, which was released today (Dec. 21). It marks the first of the preseason polls to be released for the upcoming college baseball season.
The No. 3 ranking is the highest preseason ranking in Virginia baseball history and matches the highest ranking at any time in program history. UVa also ascended to No. 3 in the national polls in April 2007.
The ACC boasts six schools in the top 20, including Georgia Tech and Florida State, which join UVa in the top 10 at Nos. 6 and 7, respectively. Miami (12), North Carolina (13) and Clemson (16) also rank amongst the top 20. The ACC is the only conference to place more than three schools in the top 20.
Led by seventh-year head coach Brian O’Connor, Virginia returns 23 of its 29 letterwinners from the 2009 team, which went 49-15-1, won the ACC Championship and captured the NCAA Irvine Regional and Oxford Super Regional en route to the program’s first College World Series appearance. Among the returning letterwinners is the entire starting lineup, including All-Americans Jarrett Parker (Jr., Stafford, Va.) and Danny Hultzen (So., Bethesda, Md.). The Cavaliers also have a top-10 recruiting class entering the fold and giving the team a wealth of depth.
UVa opens the season Feb. 19 with a three-game series at East Carolina, which is ranked No. 18 in Collegiate Baseball’s preseason poll. The Cavaliers begin their home schedule Feb. 24 vs. George Washington.
Virginia season tickets are on sale now and may be ordered in person at the UVa Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall, by phone at 1-800-542-UVA1 or online at VirginiaSports.com. Reserved Bleacher season tickets are available, providing a reserved grandstand bleacher seat for the 35-game schedule. General Admission season tickets also are available, offering seating on a first-come, first-served basis in grandstand sections, as well as in the left-field bleachers and on the hillside along the left field line.
Tickets for UVa baseball’s Step Up To The Plate event, featuring guest speaker Dave Winfield, also are on sale now and can be ordered in person at the UVa Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall, by phone at 1-800-542-UVA1 or online at VirginiaSports.com. The event is Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at John Paul Jones Arena. Tables may be reserved by calling 800-626-8723. Proceeds from the event will go to the Virginia Baseball program.
Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top 10
1. Texas
2. LSU
3. Virginia
4. Cal State Fullerton
5. Arizona State
6. Georgia Tech
7. Florida State
8. UC Irvine
9. Florida
10. Oregon State