Eagles predicted to place 2nd in GLVC East

The 33rd-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team is picked to finish second the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division in 2016 after a vote of the league’s 16 head coaches. USI also tallied five first place votes of a possible 16 and 105 points in the poll.

The Screaming Eagles are coming off a 2015 season that saw the Eagles finish with a 28-21 overall record and a GLVC mark of 21-15. The Eagles went on to tie for third in the GLVC Tournament.

The University of Indianapolis (116 points, 11 first place votes) was selected to finish first in the GLVC East. The Eagles were followed in the poll by Bellarmine University (94), Saint Joseph’s College (71) and Lewis University (69), respectively, while the University of Illinois Springfield (54), McKendree University (30) and University of Wisconsin-Parkside (29) rounded out the division.

Quincy, who are ranked 22nd nationally, took the top spot in the West Division with 117 points and 12 of the 16 first-place votes.  Defending GLVC Champion Drury University (96 points, one first place vote) was picked to finish second in the West, while NCAA Division II Midwest Regional champion Truman State University (91 points, two first place votes) was voted third.

William Jewell College (68 points, one first place vote) was predicted to place fourth, while the University of Missouri-St. Louis (66), Missouri S&T (62), Rockhurst University (33) and Maryville University (31) round out the eight-team division.

The Eagles start the 2016 campaign at the USI Baseball Field February 19 when they start a three-game series with Grand Valley State University.

The complete 2016 GLVC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll follows:

2016 GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll – EAST DIVISION

2016 GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll – WEST DIVISION