ERIE, Pa. - The Gannon baseball team is listed among others receiving votes for the third consecutive poll in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic regional rankings released Monday afternoon.
Defending Atlantic Region champion Shippensburg (Pa.) (3-1) remains No. 1 for the third consecutive week, receiving eight of the 13 first-place votes. Millersville (Pa.) (6-2), Seton Hill (Pa.) (2-1), East Stroudsburg (Pa.) (7-0) and Kutztown (Pa.) (4-1) completed the top five. Seton Hill secured three first-place votes. Millersville and East Stroudsburg captured one first-place vote each.
Slippery Rock (Pa.) (3-1), Concord (W.Va.) (3-3), Mercyhurst (Pa.) (3-1), Winston-Salem State (N.C.) (6-5) and Virginia State (6-1) rounded out the top 10. Gannon was one of six teams listed among others receiving votes.
Gannon returns 12 letterwinners and six starting position players from last year's PSAC Western Division championship team. The Golden Knights finished 24-19 overall, concluding one of the best seasons in school history that included the program's first-ever divisional crown. The program has recorded at least 24 overall victories and at least 14 league wins during each of the last two seasons, qualifying for the PSAC Tournament both years.
Head coach
Nate Cocolin's club opens the 2014 campaign Tuesday, February 25 with two games at Epling Stadium in Beckley, West Virginia. Both games were just announced Monday afternoon. The Golden Knights will play nine-inning games against West Virginia Tech at 12 noon and Rio Grande at 3 p.m.
NCBWA Atlantic Regional Rankings - February 24, 2014
1. Shippensburg, Pa. (8 first place votes) (3-1) 122 points
2. Millersville, Pa. (1 first-place vote) (6-2) 110 points
3. Seton Hill, Pa. (3 first-place votes) (2-1) 103 points
4. East Stroudsburg, Pa. (1 first-place vote) (7-0) 96 points
5. Kutztown, Pa. (4-1) 63 points
6. Slippery Rock, Pa. (3-1) 54 points
7. Concord, W.Va. (3-3) 50 points
8. Mercyhurst, Pa. (3-1) 45 points
9. Winston-Salem State, N.C. (6-5) 35 points
10. Virginia State (6-1) 14 points
Also receiving votes: California, Pa, (1-2) 8 points; West Chester, Pa. (2-1) 4 points; Indiana, Pa. (2-1) 3 points; Bloomsburg (4-2) 2 points; Gannon, Pa,. (0-0) 1 point; Lock Haven, Pa. (3-2) 1 point.
