EDISON, NJ – The Canisius College Griffs baseball team has been selected as the preseason favorite to win back-to-back Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championships, according to a vote of the league’s 11 head coaches. Canisius received 114 total points and six of the 11 first place votes.
Canisius finished the regular season in second place with a 16-8 MAAC mark and a 34-30 overall record in the 2014-15 season before they would go on to defeat Siena College in the winner take all championship game after losing the first game of the tournament. Canisius would go on to win five games over three days to be crowned the 2015 MAAC Baseball Champions.
Quinnipiac University was selected second in the preseason poll, tallying 109 points and garnering three first place votes. The Bobcats finished third in the standings last season with a 15-9 MAAC and 29-27 overall record. This season the Bobcats will be led by preseason All-MAAC selections, catcher Lou Iannoitti, shortstop Matthew Batten, outfielder Mike Palladino and pitcher Thomas Jankins.
Siena College was voted third in the preseason poll by the coaches. The Saints finished with 92 total points and one first place vote. Last season, Siena was fourth in the MAAC with a 13-8 conference record and a 23-28 overall record. Reigning Rookie of the Year Joe Drpich leads the Saints and was selected as a member of the 2016 preseason All-MAAC team.
Monmouth University was selected fourth with 77 points while Marist received the other first place vote and was selected fifth. Manhattan was selected sixth with 68 points. The 2015 MAAC regular season champions, Rider University, were selected to finish seventh, totaling 60 points. Fairfield University, Iona College, Niagara University and Saint Peter’s University round out the preseason poll, finishing eighth through eleventh, respectively.
Manhattan’s Christian Santisteban was selected as the 2016 MAAC Baseball preseason player of the year. Santisteban hit .301 last season with 53 hits, 14 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 28 RBI. His 14 doubles were eighth best in the MAAC and his 27 walks were sixth best in the conference.
The preseason All-MAAC team consists of catcher Lou Iannotti of Quinnipiac, first basemen Christian Santisteban of Manhattan and Ryan Stekl of Canisius. Rounding out the infield is second baseman Jake Lumley of Canisius and third baseman Tanner Kirwer from Niagara. The outfielders on the preseason All-MAAC team include Dan Swain of Siena, Mike Palladino of Quinnipiac, Graham McIntire of Marist and James Locklear of Rider. Joe Drpich from Siena was voted as the designated hitter while Michael Fuhrman from Niagara was named to the preseason team as a utility player. Thomas Jankins of Quinnipiac rounds out the preseason team as he was named the best preseason pitcher by the coaches.
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Canisius (6) 114
- Quinnipiac (3) 109
- Siena (1) 98
- Monmouth 77
- Marist (1) 69
- Manhattan 68
- Rider 60
- Fairfield 49
- Iona 42
- Niagara 30
- Saint Peter’s 16
Preseason All-MAAC Team
Lou Iannotti Catcher Quinnipiac
Christian Santisteban First Base Manhattan
Ryan Stekl First Base Canisius
Jake Lumley Second Base Canisius
Matthew Batten Shortstop Quinnipiac
Tanner Kirwer Third Base Niagara
Dan Swain Outfield Siena
Mike Palladino Outfield Quinnipiac
Graham McIntire Outfield Marist
James Locklear Outfield Rider
Joe Drpich Designated Hitter Siena
Michael Fuhrman Utility Niagara
Thomas Jankins Pitcher Quinnipiac
Preseason Player of the Year
Christian Santisteban INF/OF Manhattan
