Dec. 23, 2002
WACO, Texas - Collegiate Baseball ranked the Baylor baseball team 17th in the nation in the publication's 2003 preseason poll, released Monday.
Six Big 12 Conference schools were listed in Collegiate Baseball's Preseason Top 40: defending national champ Texas (first), Nebraska (22nd), Oklahoma (27th), Texas Tech (35th) and Oklahoma State (39th).
other opponents on the Bears' 2003 schedule made the rankings. Southern California, whom the Bears host in Waco Feb. 21-23, are ranked third in the country, while long-time rival Rice is ranked fourth. Other top opponents include Houston (10th) and Long Beach State (13th).
Fifteen letterwinners return from a year ago, when the Bears finished the season 36-26 and lost in the NCAA Austin Regional championship to eventual national champ Texas. Baylor also welcomes 16 newcomers to the team.
Seven former all-Big 12 players return, led by top starters Steven White and Jared Theodorakos. Baylor career saves leader Zane Carlson appears to have returned to form after undergoing arm surgery a year ago, and will once more be closing out Bear victories. Seniors Chris Durbin and Ross Bennett and juniors David Murphy and Trey Webb will anchor the offense.
The Bears, who hold the best cumulative conference record in the Big 12 over the past five seasons, will also depend on returning sophomore starters Michael Griffin (3B/LF), Paul Witt (2B/3B) and Josh Ford (C). Sophomore Trey Taylor will likely round out the weekend rotation.
Baylor begins its 2003 schedule Feb. 4 at home against Southwest Texas before heading to Tucson for a three-game set against Arizona Feb. 7-9. The Bears then return to Texas for the third annual Astros College Classic, to be held at Minute Maid Park Feb. 14-16.
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(As of Dec. 23, 2002)
Rank School ('02 Final Record) Points Final '02 Rank1. Texas (57-15) 496 12. Florida St. (60-14) 493 93. Southern California (37-24) 490 124. Rice (52-14) 489 75. Georgia Tech. (52-16) 485 56. Louisiana St. (44-22) 484 117. Cal. St. Fullerton (37-22) 479 288. South Carolina (57-18) 477 29. Stanford (47-18) 475 410. Houston (48-17) 470 10
11. Mississippi St. (34-24-1) 468 NR12. Arizona St. (37-21) 464 2613. Long Beach St. (39-21) 462 2714. Miami, Fla. (34-29) 458 1715. Wake Forest (47-13-1) 457 1416. Richmond (53-13) 456 1317. BAYLOR (36-26) 450 NR18. Clemson (54-18) 449 319. Notre Dame (50-18) 447 620. South Alabama (42-19) 445 25
21. Florida Atlantic (46-21) 440 1522. Nebraska (47-21) 438 823. Tulane (36-27) 437 NR24. S.W. Missouri St. (43-21) 432 NR25. California (29-27) 430 NR26. Central Florida (41-22) 424 NR27. Oklahoma (35-27) 423 NR28. James Madison (44-16) 419 NR29. Ohio St. (38-20-1) 416 NR30. Wichita St. (47-17) 411 22
31. Kent St. (37-22) 408 NR32. Stetson (42-19) 405 NR33. Georgia (32-29) 403 NR34. North Carolina (43-21) 398 1935. Texas Tech. (42-20) 395 2436. East Carolina (43-20-1) 392 NR37. Southern (45-10) 390 NR38. Florida International (41-20) 386 NR39. Oklahoma St. (37-21) 380 NR40. Auburn (34-26) 379 NR
