Jan. 2, 2003
WACO, Texas - Baseball America ranked the Baylor baseball team 10th in the nation in the publication's 2003 preseason poll, released Thursday.
The No. 10 ranking ties the program's best-ever preseason position. Baseball America also ranked the Bears 10th prior to the 2000 season.
Six Big 12 Conference schools were listed in Baseball America's Preseason Top 50: defending national champ Texas (fifth), Baylor (10th), Nebraska (20th), Oklahoma State (33rd), Texas A&M (34th), Texas Tech (36th) and Oklahoma (38th).
Six other opponents on the Bears' 2003 schedule made the rankings. Baylor faces second-ranked Rice and 11th-ranked Houston in mid-February at the Astros College Classic. One week later, the Bears host sixth-ranked Southern California in Waco. Long Beach State, ranked 13th, will also travel to Waco for a three-game set. Louisiana-Lafayette (46th) and UC Irvine (49th) appear on the Bears' 2003 schedule, as well.
Baseball America is the second major publication to release its 2003 preseason poll; Collegiate Baseball earlier ranked the Bears 17th in the nation.
Fifteen Baylor 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.
Baseball America's NCAA Div. I Pre-Season Poll
(Jan. 2, 2003)
Rank School ('02 Final Record)1. Georgia Tech (52-16)2. Rice (52-14)3. Stanford (47-18)4. Florida State (60-14)5. Texas (57-15)6. Southern California (37-24)7. Wake Forest (47-13)8. Arizona State (37-21)9. Louisiana State (44-22)10. BAYLOR (36-26) 11. Houston (48-17)12. Notre Dame (50-18)13. Cal State Fullerton (37-22)14. South Carolina (57-18)15. Richmond (53-13)16. Long Beach State (39-21)17. Mississippi State (34-24)18. Stetson (42-19)19. Clemson (54-17)20. Nebraska (47-21)21. Auburn (34-26)22. North Carolina (43-21)23. South Alabama (42-19)24. Florida Atlantic (46-21)25. Va. Commonwealth (38-27)26. Tulane (36-27)27. Southwest Mo. State (43-21)28. James Madison (44-16)29. Georgia (32-29)30. Mississippi (37-19)31. Miami (34-29)32. California (29-27)33. Oklahoma State (37-21)34. Texas A&M (35-24)35. Ohio State (38-20)36. Texas Tech (42-20)37. Alabama (51-15)38. Oklahoma (35-27)39. Central Florida (41-22)40. South Florida (35-29)41. Wichita State (47-17)42. Georgia Southern (39-25)43. Pepperdine (31-32)44. Fla. International (41-20)45. San Diego State (43-23)46. Louisiana-Lafayette (39-23)47. Washington (33-27)48. San Jose State (45-17)49. UC Irvine (33-26)50. Kent State (37-22)
