Jan. 22, 2009

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Baylor will open the 2009 season ranked nationally in all four major polls as the Bears came in at No. 17 in the USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Thursday. The Bears also are ranked preseason by Baseball America (No. 8), Collegiate Baseball (No. 15) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association (No. 19).

LSU opens the season at No. 1 in the coaches' poll, earning 14 of 30 first-place votes. North Carolina was second with 12 first-place votes, followed by Rice (one first-place vote), Georgia, Texas A&M (two first-place votes), Stanford (one first-place vote), Arizona State and Cal State Fullerton. Florida State and Texas tied for 10th.

Ole Miss started the second 10, followed by Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Miami-FL, San Diego, Louisville, Baylor, UC Irvine, defending national champion Fresno State and Missouri. Pepperdine, UCLA, Florida, Coastal Carolina and Clemson occupied the final five spots in that order.

Seven 2009 Baylor opponents appear in the preseason coaches' poll: No. 3 Rice, No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 9 Texas, No. 13 Oklahoma State, No. 20 Missouri, No. 18 UC Irvine and No. 22 UCLA. Four other 2009 Baylor opponents were among those receiving votes: Nebraska, TCU, Oklahoma and Dallas Baptist. The Bears play 25 games against those 11 teams or 48.1 percent of their 52-game, regular-season schedule.

Baylor opens its 2009 season Feb. 20-22, hosting Pacific for a three-game series at Baylor Ballpark.

2009 USA TODAY/ESPN PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. LSU (14 first-place votes)
2. North Carolina (12)
3. Rice (1)
4. Georgia
5. Texas A&M (2)
6. Stanford (1)
7. Arizona State
8. Cal State Fullerton
9. Florida State
(tie) Texas
11. Ole Miss
12. Georgia Tech
13. Oklahoma State
14. Miami-FL
15. San Diego
16. Louisville
17. BAYLOR
18. UC Irvine
19. Fresno State
20. Missouri
21. Pepperdine
22. UCLA
23. Florida
24. Coastal Carolina
25. Clemson