Jan. 25, 2010

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The LMU baseball team was picked to finish fifth overall in the West Coast Conference in 2010 according to the annual preseason coaches poll conducted by the league's eight head coaches.

LMU earned 28 total points in the poll, just finishing below Gonzaga, the WCC's 2009 champion, with 29 points and one first-place vote. San Diego garnered six first-place votes and amassed 48 overall points. Pepperdine did not receive a first-place nod, but did claim 38 total points to finish second in the poll. San Francisco claimed third with 33 points, followed by Gonzaga, LMU and Santa Clara in sixth. The Broncos earned the final first-place vote, helping them to 20 total points. Saint Mary's was picked to finish seventh with 17 points, followed by Portland in eighth at 11 points.

The Lions, skippered by second-year Head Coach Jason Gill, are coming off a 30-29 overall record and a 13-8 mark in the WCC last year that saw them place second in the WCC and play for the WCC Championship for the first time since 2005. The Lions return four position starters and three starting pitchers to the field from last year. LMU also welcomes 12 newcomers to the program who are eager to prove themselves at the Division I level.

The Division I baseball season will begin nationwide on Feb. 19 with the West Coast Conference portion of the schedule slated to begin on April 1.

2010 West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll Results
1. San Diego - 48 (6)
2. Pepperdine - 38
3. San Francisco - 33
4. Gonzaga - 29 (1)
5. Loyola Marymount - 28
6. Santa Clara - 20 (1)
7. Saint Mary's - 17
8. Portland - 11
(First place votes)

Preseason All-Conference Teams
Position Players
Troy Channing, SMC
Drew Heid, GON
Riley Henricks, POR
Brian Humphries, PEP
Kris Kauppila, POR
Geoff Klein, SCU
James Meador, USD
Tommy Medica, SCU
Kevin Muno, USD
Zach Walters, USD
Stephen Yarrow, USF

Pitchers
Kyle Blair, USD
Matt Bywater, PEP
Cole Cook, PEP
AJ Griffin, USD
Doug Murray, USF