2012 Pac-12 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll

FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — In a polling of the Pac-12’s baseball coaches, STANFORD has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the conference title this season. The Cardinal received all 10 possible first-place votes and 100 points. Stanford finished the 2011 campaign with a 35-22 record after progressing to NCAA Super Regional play in the postseason. Stanford is ranked in the top five in the preseason polls, including a No. 2 ranking in Baseball America’s preseason top 25 poll. The Cardinal features preseason All-America selections Stephen Piscotty, Mark Appel and Kenny Diekroeger.

ARIZONA came in second with 85 points and is followed by ARIZONA STATE in the third slot with one first-place vote and 84 points. Reigning conference champion UCLA received 72 points as OREGON STATE picked up 64 points to round out the top five.

College World Series participant CALIFORNIA was picked sixth with 56 points, OREGON was seventh with 38 points and USC was eighth with 36 points. WASHINGTON STATE grabbed 33 points to come in ninth, while WASHINGTON came in 10th with 20 points. Pac-12 newcomer UTAH was voted 11th with 17 points.

All 11 teams will be in action on Friday, Feb. 17 as the 2012 season gets under way. Pac-12 play starts Friday, March 23.

The following are the results of the preseason coaches’ poll. Ten points are awarded for a first-place vote, nine points for a second-place vote and so on. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.

2012 Pac-12 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Stanford (10) 100
2. Arizona 85
3. Arizona State (1) 84
4. UCLA 72
5. Oregon State 64
6. California 56
7. Oregon 38
8. USC 36
9. Washington State 33
10. Washington 20
11. Utah 17