ECU Tabbed No. 27 By NCBWA
January 13, 2009 | Baseball
Jan. 13, 2009
DALLAS, Texas -The 2009 East Carolina baseball team picked up its third pre-season top 35 ranking as they were tabbed No. 27 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Tuesday afternoon. Earlier this month the Pirates garnered a No. 31 pre-season ranking by Collegiate Baseball and Ping!Baseball.
The Pirates, who finished with a 42-21 overall record in 2008, made its ninth NCAA Regional appearance in the last 10 years advancing to the regional finals against Coastal Carolina.
ECU welcomes back 22 letterwinners including pre-season All-American and Brooks Wallace Watch List ace Seth Maness, along with 2008 All-Conference USA performer Stephen Batts; C-USA All-Freshman Team selection Dustin Harrington; All C-USA Tournament member Kyle Roller and Conway Regional All-Tournament performer Brandon Henderson.
Also stepping onto the diamond were 14 new faces, which consists of three transfers Jared Avchen (Seminole College), Chris Heston (Seminole College) and Zach Woods (Louisburg College), as well as 11 freshmen: Shawn Armstrong, Brett Bowers, Kevin Brandt, Philip Clark, Jacob Davis, Lance Honeycutt, Patrick Somers, Corey Thompson, Mark Wilder, Mike Wright and Zach Wright.
The NCBWA continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 12th year with its 2009 pre-season predictions and weekly surveys. Weekly polls will continue from Feb. 23 through June 25 following the NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb.
The poll voters come from 32 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a pre-season top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national top 30.
North Carolina has received the No. 1 pre-season nod for the first time in NCBWA history after coach Mike Fox's crew closed 54-14 and third in the final 2008 NCBWA survey. Previous pre-season No. 1 choices have been LSU (1998, 2001), Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Texas (2003, 06), Cal State Fullerton (2005), Rice (2004, 07), and Arizona State (2008). Fresno State is defending NCAA champ after Oregon State won the baseball crown in Omaha in both 2006 and '07.
Rank-School-2008 Record-Final '08 Poll Place
1. North Carolina, Atlantic Coast, 54-14, 3
2. LSU, Southeastern, 49-19-1, 6
3. Rice, Conference USA, 47-15, 7
4. Texas A&M, Big 12, 46-19, 14
5. Georgia, SEC, 45-25-1, 2
6. Florida State, ACC, 54-14, 8
7. Arizona State, Pacific-10, 49-13, 9
8. Texas, Big 12, 39-22, 21
9. Stanford, Pac-10, 41-24-2, 4
10. Cal State Fullerton, Big West, 41-22, 11
11. Louisville, Big East, 41-21, NR
12. Miami (Fla.), ACC, 53-11, 5
13. Georgia Tech, ACC, 41-21, 26
14. Mississippi, SEC, 39-26, NR
15. UC Irvine, Big West, 42-18, 10
16. Oklahoma State, Big 12, 44-18, 17
17. Fresno State, Western Athletic, 47-31, 1
18. San Diego, West Coast, 44-17, 18
19. Baylor, Big 12, 32-26, NR
20. Missouri, Big 12, 39-21, 19
21. Pepperdine, WCC, 38-21, NR
22. Coastal Carolina, Big South, 50-14, 13
23. Kentucky, SEC, 44-19, 23
24. Florida, SEC, 34-24, NR
25. UCLA, Pac-10, 33-27, NR
26. Clemson, ACC, 31-27-1, NR
27. East Carolina, C-USA, 42-21, NR
28. Oklahoma, Big 12, 36-26, NR
29. Arizona, Pac-10, 42-19, 12
30. Michigan, Big Ten, 46-14, 28
31. Oregon State, Pac-10, 28-24, NR
32. TCU, Mountain West, 44-19, NR
33. Southern California, Pac-10, 28-28, NR
34. Tulane, C-USA, 39-22-1, NR
35. Wichita State, Missouri Valley, 48-17, 15
