LSU Tigers Ranked 15th in Preseason from Collegiate Baseball

The Collegiate Baseball rankings released in late December put the LSU Tigers at the number 15 spot in the rankings to begin the 2011 baseball season.

The rankings was packed with teams from the Southeastern Conference in the top 40, which included Florida at number 2, Vanderbilt at number 5, South Carolina at number 14, Auburn at number 25 and Arkansas at number 32.

Texas Christian University, winner of the 2010 Collegiate World Series claimed the number 1 spot as expected.

The LSU 2011 baseball team was voted the number 1 recruiting class in the fall of 2010. The 2011 team consists of 17 returning letterman. Eighteen new team members joined the team which included seven players who were selected in the 2010 Major League Draft.

There will be eight seasoned pitchers returning to the team this year who all gained experience on the mound last year. Eight other experienced position players add to what is expected to be a very talented 2011 team.

A return trip to Omaha, Nebraska is also expected. If earned, this will be the Tigers third appearance in Omaha in the last four seasons. The Tigers won the Collegiate World Series in 2009.

According to head coach Paul Mainieri, who is excited about this years team and talents, this season will be filled with lots of excitement. Fall practice went well and both the players and coach is looking forward to starting the new season.

The Tigers will open play for the 2011 season on February 18, 2011 against Wake Forest at 7:00 pm in Alex Box Stadium on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, LA.

The complete results from the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Division 1 Poll are as follows:

1. Texas Christian (54-14)
2. Florida (47-17)
3. UCLA (51-17)
4. Clemson (45-25)
5. Vanderbilt (46-20)
6. Oklahoma (50-18)
7. Texas (50-13)
8. Texas A&M (43-21-1)
9. Oregon (40-24)
10. Stanford (31-25)
11. Arizona St. (52-10)
12. Cal St. Fullerton (46-18)
13. Florida St. (48-20)
14. South Carolina (54-16)
15. LSU (41-22)
16. Connecticut (48-16)
17. Virginia (51-14)
18. Miami, Fla. (43-20)
19. Georgia Tech. (47-15)
20. Louisville (50-14)
21. Rice (40-23)
22. Arizona (34-24)
23. Wichita St. (41-19)
24. Coastal Carolina (55-10)
25. Auburn (43-21)
26. St. John's (43-20)
27. North Carolina (38-32)
28. San Diego (37-22)
29. Fresno St. (38-25)
30. Pittsburgh (38-18)
31. Washington St. (37-22)
32. Arkansas (43-21)
33. California (29-25)
34. U.C. Irvine (39-21)
35. College of Charleston (44-19)
36. Florida Atlantic (37-24)
37. Kansas St. (37-22)
38. Hawaii (35-28)
39. Baylor (36-24)
40. Kent St. (39-25)

Source:

LSU Sports: Tigers Preseason Ranked 15^th by Collegiate Baseball