BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- The University of Florida has been predicted to win the 2016 Southeastern Conference baseball championship as voted by the league’s 14 head coaches in the 25th-annual preseason poll. The Preseason All-SEC First and Second Teams, as determined by the head coaches, were also announced.
Florida, the nation’s consensus preseason No. 1 team, garnered 13 votes to claim the SEC title, while Vanderbilt earned one vote. The Gators featured a pitching star, A.J. Puk (pictured), who could be the No. 1 pick in this summer's MLB amateur draft.
Florida was predicted to win the SEC Eastern Division, while Texas A&M was the favorite to win the SEC Western Division.
Since 1996, the SEC has named a regular season champion as well as a tournament champion. Prior to 1996, the tournament champion was considered the SEC champion.
Points were compiled on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, and each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
For the second consecutive year, two Preseason All-SEC Teams were selected by the SEC head coaches, and ties were not broken. Eleven of the 14 schools were represented on the All-SEC teams with Florida leading the way with seven total selections. Texas A&M garnered four selections, while Arkansas had three. The Gators also claimed an SEC-best six first-team accolades.
The 2016 regular season for SEC teams begins Friday, with conference play set to begin March 18.
A total of seven SEC teams qualified for NCAA Regionals in 2015 and conference teams comprised half of the College World Series field. Ten SEC teams are ranked in at least one poll to begin the 2016 season.
2016 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll
Eastern Division
1. Florida (13) - 91
2. Vanderbilt (1) - 78
3. South Carolina - 54
4. Kentucky - 53
5. Missouri - 47
6. Georgia - 32
7. Tennessee - 30
Western Division
1. Texas A&M (8) - 85
2. LSU (5) - 79
3. Arkansas - 65
4. Mississippi State (1) - 49
5. Ole Miss - 46
6. Auburn - 33
7. Alabama - 28
SEC Champion: Florida (13); Vanderbilt (1)
2016 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Teams
First Team
C – JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B – Peter Alonso, Florida
2B – Ryne Birk, Texas A&M
SS – Ryan Howard, Missouri
3B – Nick Senzel, Tennessee
OF – Nick Banks, Texas A&M
OF – Buddy Reed, Florida
OF – Anfernee Grier, Auburn
DH/UT – JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP – Alex Lange, LSU
SP – A.J. Puk, Florida*
SP – Logan Shore, Florida*
RP – Zach Jackson, Arkansas
Second Team
C – Mike Rivera, Florida
1B – Evan White, Kentucky*
1B – Hunter Melton, Texas A&M*
2B – Rick Nomura, Arkansas
SS – Errol Robinson, Ole Miss
3B – Will Toffey, Vanderbilt
OF – Bryan Reynolds, Vanderbilt
OF – Stephen Wrenn, Georgia
OF – Jake Fraley, LSU
DH/UT – Clark Eagan, Arkansas
SP – Tanner Houck, Missouri
SP – Robert Tyler, Georgia*
SP – Jared Poche', LSU*
RP – Ryan Hendrix, Texas A&M
* - Ties were not broken
Florida Athletics Photo By Tim Casey
