Dec. 21, 2009

GREENSBORO, NC – A national-best six Atlantic Coast Conference teams are included among 2010 Collegiate Baseball’s “Fabulous 40” NCAA Division I Preseason Poll. In fact, all six are included among the top 16, including three top 10 selections.

Defending ACC champion Virginia, which reached the College World Series for the first time in 2009, is picked third behind Texas and defending national champion LSU. Georgia Tech is the second ACC team listed at No. 6, followed by Florida State at No. 7.

Miami is rated 12th in the preseason poll, followed by North Carolina at No. 13th and Clemson at No. 16. No other conference has more than two teams ranked among the top 19 of the poll.

All of the ACC’s preseason ranked teams participated in the NCAA Tournament last season, with Virginia, North Carolina, Clemson and Florida State reaching the “Sweet 16” and North Carolina joining Virginia in the College World Series. The CWS appearance was North Carolina’s ACC-record fourth straight. Boston College also received a berth in the NCAA field, giving the conference a record-tying seven teams. Boston College and NC State both received votes in the 2010 Collegiate Baseball preseason poll.

The conference welcomes back a number of standout baseball student-athletes in 2010, including reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year Deck McGuire (Georgia Tech) and ACC Freshman of the Year Danny Hultzen (Virginia).

For a detailed rundown on the top 40 teams, see the Jan. 8, 2010 edition of Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The "Collegiate Baseball" Newspaper poll is the oldest college baseball poll. Its birth took place during the 1958 college baseball season.

Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's
NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(As of Dec. 21, 2009)
Rank School ('09 Final Record) Points
1. Texas (50-16-1) 496
2. Louisiana St. (56-17) 494
3. Virginia (49-15-1) 493
4. Cal. St. Fullerton (47-16) 492
5. Arizona St. (51-14) 491
6. Georgia Tech. (38-19-1) 486
7. Florida St. (45-18) 483
8. U.C. Irvine (45-15) 482
9. Florida (42-22) 479
10. Oregon St. (37-19) 475

11. Rice (43-18) 473
12. Miami, Fla. (38-22) 470
13. North Carolina (48-18) 469
14. Ohio St. (42-19) 467
15. Texas Christian (40-18) 464
16. Clemson (44-22) 462
17. Coastal Carolina (47-16) 459
18. East Carolina (46-20) 455
19. Louisville (47-18) 454
20. UCLA (27-29) 452

21. Southern Miss. (40-26) 450
22. Mississippi (44-20) 446
23. Arkansas (41-24) 443
24. San Diego (29-25) 441
25. Oklahoma (43-20) 439
26. Stanford (30-25) 435
27. Wichita St. (30-27) 430
28. South Carolina (40-23) 428
29. Texas A&M (37-24) 427
30. Minnesota (40-19) 425

31. Georgia (38-24) 422
32. Vanderbilt (37-27) 419
33. Fresno St. (32-30) 417
34. Pepperdine (31-23) 415
35. South Florida (34-12) 412
36. Kansas (39-24) 410
37. Middle Tennessee St. (44-18) 407
38. Florida Gulf Coast (36-18) 402
39. Notre Dame (36-23) 401
40. Dallas Baptist (38-17) 397

Other Teams Receiving Votes: Cal Poly, Arizona, Oregon, Long Beach St., California, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Baylor, Oklahoma St., Central Florida, Mississippi St., Alabama, Auburn, James Madison, Tulane, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico St., Ball St., Bowling Green St., Hawaii, Houston, Kent St., Missouri St., Creighton, Western Kentucky, N.C. State, Boston College, Illinois, Jacksonville, Washington, Southern Cal., Washington St., Troy, San Diego St., College of Charleston, Georgia Southern, St. John's, Wagner, New Mexico, Eastern Illinois, Kennesaw St., Florida International, West Virginia, Elon, Texas St., Southeastern Louisiana, Stetson, Oral Roberts, Winthrop, N.C. Wilmington, Georgia St., Dartmouth, Wright St., Bethune-Cookman, Liberty, Dayton, Rhode Island, Southern.