Miami and Rice Tabbed Co-No.1 in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 Preseason Poll
Dec. 19, 2003
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Collegiate Baseball released its Fabulous 40 pre-season NCAA Division I baseball poll on Friday afternoon with the University of Miami and Rice University tied atop the poll.
The co-No. 1 tab for the Hurricanes and Owls marks the first time in the history of the Collegiate Baseball poll, which dates back to 1959, that two teams have been tied in the pre-season poll for the top spot in the nation.
Miami finished fifth in the nation at the College World Series and rolled to a 45-17-1 overall record last season. The Hurricanes return every starting position player from a year ago in addition to four starting pitchers and the entire bullpen.
Headliners include Louisville Slugger pre-season All-American shortstop Ryan Braun (.364, 17 HR, 16 2B, 76 RBI, 13 SB), All-American left-handed pitcher J.D. Cockroft (11-3, 2.72 ERA, 94 K, 35 BB) and past All-American closer RHP George Huguet (7 SV, 2.36 ERA).
Miami returns three superb starters on the mound in Cockroft, LHP Brandon Camardese (9-2, 5.01 ERA), RHP Vince Bongiovanni (8-4, 4.00 ERA) and relief specialists in RHP Huguet and RHP Shawn Valdes-Fauli (5 SV, 5-0, 3.02 ERA).
On offense, the Hurricanes have a nice blend of power (70 home runs last season) and gap power (134 doubles) along with speed (122 stolen bases). As far as defense, Miami was second in the nation in double plays (72 in 63 games).
“In my entire coaching career (which goes back to 1975 as an assistant coach at Appalachian St.) I have never had an entire group of position player starters and pitchers back like this,” said Morris, entering his 11th year with the Hurricanes.
“It is very unusual. We had a very young ball club last year with only a few being draft eligible. When you consider all these ball players coming back coupled with a pretty good recruiting class that we brought in (15th in the nation), we should have a fine ball club this season.”
The “Collegiate Baseball” Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1957 college baseball season.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(As of Dec. 19, 2003)
Rank School ('03 Final Record) Points Final '03 Rank1. Miami, Fla. (45-17-1) 495 5 Rice (58-12) 495 13. Louisiana St. (45-22-1) 491 74. Georgia Tech. (44-18) 489 145. Texas (50-20) 486 46. Stanford (51-18) 484 27. Arizona St. (54-14) 481 108. Cal. St. Fullerton (50-16) 477 39. Wichita St. (49-27) 475 NR10. Notre Dame (45-18) 470 28
11. Baylor (45-23) 468 1312. Long Beach St. (41-20) 464 1113. Tulane (44-19) 462 NR14. South Carolina (45-22) 458 615. Florida (37-21-1) 457 NR16. Southern California (28-28) 456 NR17. Clemson (39-22) 450 NR18. Auburn (42-21) 449 2019. Florida Atlantic (47-16) 446 2320. Nebraska (47-18) 445 15
21. North Carolina (42-23) 443 1922. Arizona (35-23) 441 NR23. Washington (42-18) 438 2724. Florida St. (54-13-1) 437 925. Minnesota (40-22) 432 NR26. Nevada-Las Vegas (47-17) 430 2627. Mississippi (35-27) 424 NR28. Winthrop (35-22) 416 NR29. North Carolina St. (45-18) 411 1230. Mississippi St. (42-20-1) 408 24
31. Ohio St. (44-21) 406 1832. Texas A&M (45-19) 403 1733. Oklahoma St. (34-24) 398 NR34. U.C. Riverside (41-17) 395 3035. Alabama (28-24) 392 NR36. Va. Commonwealth (46-13) 390 NR37. Southern Miss. (47-16) 386 2538. Tennessee (31-24) 380 NR39. San Diego (32-30) 378 NR40. Stetson (41-24) 375 NR
