Rivals.com Preseason Picks UM Baseball No. 2

Feb. 1, 2008

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – –

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Collegebaseball.Rivals.com 2008 UM Preview 

The University of <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Miami baseball team has been ranked No. 2 in the Rivals.com preseason top-25 poll, as announced by the national college athletics website Thursday. It is the highest ranking for the Hurricanes this preseason.

Already this preseason, Miami has earned a No. 10 preseason ranking by Baseball America. The Hurricanes have already garnered a No. 12 preseason ranking from the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association (NCBWA) preseason poll, No. 14 preseason ranking in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s 2008 Fabulous 40 Preseason NCAA Division I Poll and a No. 14 preseason ranking in the USA Today/ESPN coaches’ poll. Perfect Game Crosschecker’s preseason ranking of the nation’s Top 100 college teams has the Hurricanes No. 4 in its poll.

Miami is one of four Atlantic Coast Conference teams ranked in the poll. No. 2 North Carolina leads all ACC teams followed by No. 12 Florida State, No. 14 Miami, No. 16 Clemson and No. 20 Virginia. ArizonaState was awarded the top spot by the coaches.

Miami is coming off a 37-24 season (17-13 Atlantic Coast Conference) in 2007 that ended with a NCAA-record 35th-straight postseason appearance at the NCAA Columbia (Mo.) Regional. UM welcomes back seven position starters and two of its weekend starting pitchers led by preseason All-Americans first baseman Yonder Alonso and sophomore left-handed pitcher Eric Erickson.

Miami opens its 2008 regular season Feb. 22-24 when the Hurricanes host Cincinnati for a three-game series at Mark Light Field. Miami’s first practice is Feb. 1 and is open to the public.

For season ticket information, call 1-800-GO CANES.

RIVALS.COM 2008 PRESEASON TOP-25 POLL