Mercer Receiving Votes in Preseason Coaches Poll
1/25/2018 5:06:00 PM | Baseball
Bears earned 11 votes, most among Georgia programs
MACON, Ga. – Mercer received 11 votes in the preseason edition of the 2018 USA Today Top 25 Baseball Coaches Poll, which was released Thursday afternoon.
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The Bears, who won a third consecutive Southern Conference regular season title in 2017, were the conference's lone representatives in the poll. Mercer was also the state of Georgia's top vote-getter, ranking ahead of Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern.
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Mercer will play a total of five games against three teams ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today Top 25; Georgia Tech (twice), Georgia Southern (twice) and Florida (once). Four position starters and all but two pitchers return from a squad that went 39-17 overall (17-6 SoCon) last spring.
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The Bears also earned preseason votes in Collegiate Baseball's 2018 Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I Preseason Poll, released in December. Senior catcher JT Thomas was named to the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America First Team as well.
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Looking Ahead
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Others receiving votes: South Carolina 55; Indiana 47; Oklahoma 46; Arizona 45; West Virginia 39; Missouri State 35; Louisiana-Lafayette 26; Duke 22; Sam Houston State 19; Southern Mississippi 19; Oklahoma State 15; Nebraska 12; Michigan 12; Auburn 12; Mercer 11; Long Beach State 7; Minnesota 4; Oral Roberts 3; Tulane 3; Stetson 2; St. John's 2; New Mexico 2; Georgia Southern 2; Georgia Tech 2; Central Florida 2; Florida International 2; Kent State 1; Oregon 1; Marist 1; South Florida 1; San Diego 1; Southeastern Louisiana 1; Wake Forest 1
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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The Bears, who won a third consecutive Southern Conference regular season title in 2017, were the conference's lone representatives in the poll. Mercer was also the state of Georgia's top vote-getter, ranking ahead of Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern.
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Mercer will play a total of five games against three teams ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today Top 25; Georgia Tech (twice), Georgia Southern (twice) and Florida (once). Four position starters and all but two pitchers return from a squad that went 39-17 overall (17-6 SoCon) last spring.
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The Bears also earned preseason votes in Collegiate Baseball's 2018 Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I Preseason Poll, released in December. Senior catcher JT Thomas was named to the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America First Team as well.
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Looking Ahead
- Mercer begins preseason team workouts Friday, three weeks before opening the 2018 season at 6 p.m. on Feb. 16 versus Bethune-Cookman at OrthoGeorgia Park. Season tickets are available at www.tickets.mercer.edu.
- The Orange and Black host their 10th annual First Pitch Classic, featuring keynote speaker Mark Teixeira, on Jan. 30 in Hawkins Arena. For reservations or more information on the First Pitch Classic, contact Ian Humphrey at (478) 301-2738.
| Rank | School | Record |
| 1 | Florida (26) | 52-19 |
| 2 | Oregon State (4) | 56-6 |
| 3 | Texas Tech (1) | 45-17 |
| 4 | TCU | 50-18 |
| 5 | Florida State | 46-23 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 45-19 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 49-14 |
| 9 | Kentucky | 43-23 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt | 36-25-1 |
| 11 | Texas A&M | 41-23 |
| 11 | Cal State Fullerton | 39-24 |
| 13 | Louisville | 53-12 |
| 14 | UCLA | 30-27 |
| 15 | Mississippi State | 40-27 |
| 16 | Stanford | 42-16 |
| 17 | Dallas Baptist | 42-21 |
| 18 | Virginia | 43-16 |
| 19 | Mississippi | 32-25 |
| 20 | Texas | 39-24 |
| 21 | Clemson | 42-21 |
| 22 | Houston | 42-21 |
| 23 | South Alabama | 32-27 |
| 24 | Miami | 32-27 |
| 25 | N.C. State | 36-25 |
Others receiving votes: South Carolina 55; Indiana 47; Oklahoma 46; Arizona 45; West Virginia 39; Missouri State 35; Louisiana-Lafayette 26; Duke 22; Sam Houston State 19; Southern Mississippi 19; Oklahoma State 15; Nebraska 12; Michigan 12; Auburn 12; Mercer 11; Long Beach State 7; Minnesota 4; Oral Roberts 3; Tulane 3; Stetson 2; St. John's 2; New Mexico 2; Georgia Southern 2; Georgia Tech 2; Central Florida 2; Florida International 2; Kent State 1; Oregon 1; Marist 1; South Florida 1; San Diego 1; Southeastern Louisiana 1; Wake Forest 1
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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