January 14, 2010

GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll Released

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis baseball team has been picked to finish sixth in the West Division of the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll, as announced today by the league office.

The Tritons received 31 votes, one behind fifth-place Missouri S&T (32).

Southern Indiana, which has placed first in the GLVC West Division in each of the past two seasons, was unanimously selected to repeat in 2010. The Eagles garnered 79 total points and 12 first-place votes.

Drury was selected to finish second in the West Division with 61 total points and received the final first-place vote. The Panthers edged Rockhurst for second place in the poll. The Hawks received 58 total points. Quincy was fourth with 48 total points and was followed by Missouri S&T, UMSL and Maryville (13).

Northern Kentucky, who claimed its second consecutive GLVC Championship in 2009 and fifth league title in the last eight seasons, earned nine first-place votes and 75 total points in the GLVC East Division poll. The Norse edged Indianapolis who received the remaining four first-place votes and 70 total points in the poll. The two teams shared the GLVC East Division crown a year ago.

Bellarmine was selected third in the East Division poll with 51 total points, just ahead of Saint Joseph’s 49 total points. Lewis (33), Kentucky Wesleyan (22) and UW-Parkside (15) rounded out the poll.

The 2010 season marks the first with the GLVC’s newest member Maryville, bringing the number of baseball-playing institutions in the league to 14. The Saints will not be eligible for the GLVC Tournament this year.

The GLVC Tournament will expand to eight teams this season with the top three teams in each division and two wild cards earning a berth. The tournament will be played at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois and at the UMSL Baseball Field in St. Louis. The tournament will be conducted on May 6-9 with the winner of the event earning the GLVC Championship Title and an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament.

UMSL opens its 2009 season at home on February 16, hosting Harris-Stowe.