University of Southern Indiana Baseball was ranked 23rd nationally in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll as it prepares for the first pitch of 2017 on February 17 versus the second-ranked University of Tampa. The Screaming Eagles have been ranked seven times in the last 10 years, topping the poll in 2011 and 2015 after winning national championships.
USI throws out the first pitch in eight weeks when it travels to Tampa for a three-game series with Spartans February 17-19. The Eagles open the 2017 home schedule with the Dunn Hospitality Classic February 24-26, featuring match-ups with Wayne State University (Michigan) and Notre Dame College.
The 2017 slate also includes another trip to the Perfect Game’s Spring Swing in Emerson, Georgia, March 7-8. USI’s opponents in the Spring Swing are still to be determined.
The non-conference schedule also includes series versus the GLVC West Division’s Drury University (March 10-12), 22nd-ranked Quincy University (17-19), and the University of Missouri-St. Louis (March 22 and April 11). UMSL and Drury both received votes for the Collegiate Baseball Preseason poll.
Locally, the non-conference schedule includes a home game with Oakland City University (March 29); the cross-town match-up with the University of Evansville; and a home-and-home series with Kentucky Wesleyan College (April 18 and April 25).
The 2017 GLVC Schedule features a 28-game conference slate against teams only from the East Division. League play starts March 25 in Louisville, Kentucky when the Eagles visit Bellarmine University (March 25-26).
The conference home campaign includes the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (April 8-9); McKendree University (April 14-15); and the 13th-ranked University of Indianapolis (April 29-30). USI Senior Day will be April 30 versus UIndy.
The GLVC Tournament is moving to U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark, Missouri, this season and is scheduled for May 11-14.
The NCAA Division II Tournament begins with the Midwest Regional on May 18-21 (site to be determined), while the NCAA II Championship Series is May 27-June 3. The NCAA II Championship Series also has a new location in 2017, moving to The Ballpark at Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The Eagles are coming off a 38-21 season a year ago, winning their fourth NCAA Division II Midwest Regional and tying for fifth at the NCAA II Baseball Championship. USI also rallied in the last two weeks of the 2016 regular season to lay claim to the GLVC East Division title.
Collegiate Baseball’s 2017 Pre-Season Poll (USI’s ranked opponents are bold and italics)
Rank    Team (2016 Final Record)
1. Nova Southeastern (44-16)
 2. Tampa (41-10)
3. Central Missouri (43-15)
4. Southern New Hampshire (50-7)
5. Millersville (53-7)
6. Cal. Poly Pomona (42-19)
7. Franklin Pierce (48-9)
8. Angelo St. (39-22)
9. Mercyhurst (43-14)
10. S.C. Aiken (40-18)
11. St. Edward’s (46-12)
12. Colorado Mesa (43-13)
13. Indianapolis (38-21)
14. California Baptist (42-13)
15. Dixie St. (40-14)
16. Minnesota St. (36-18)
17. St. Cloud St. (43-10)
18. Belmont Abbey (39-16-1)
19. West Florida (36-17)
20. Florida Southern (32-17)
21. Catawba (34-21)
22. Quincy (39-18)
23. Southern Indiana (38-21)
24. U.C. San Diego (31-21)
25. Grand Valley St. (36-18-1)
26. West Georgia (42-16)
27. North Georgia (32-20)
28. Lander (44-16)
29. Ashland (33-22)
30. Emporia St. (39-19)
31. Arkansas-Monticello (40-16)
32. West Chester (37-14)
33. Mount Olive (33-21)
34. West Alabama (36-15)
35. Missouri S&T (39-16)
36. St. Thomas Aquinas (37-17)
37. Chico St. (35-22)
38. Seton Hill (40-18)
39. Lubbock Christian (37-19)
40. Point Loma Nazarene (32-16)
