Bruins ranked No. 7 in NAIA Preseason Poll, picked to win North Star
Bellevue is ranked seventh in the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 Preseason Poll and the favorite to win the North Star Athletic Association.
NSAA Preseason Coaches' Poll
NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Coming off their 14th Avista NAIA World Series appearance in 2019, the Bellevue University baseball team is ranked seventh nationally and was chosen to defend their North Star Athletic Association title in the league's preseason coaches' poll.
NSAA Preseason Coaches' Poll:
Bellevue (48-16 | 23-1 NSAA) was a unanimous selection to win the league, earning all eight first place votes for a total of 56 points, finishing comfortable ahead of second choice Waldorf (30-23 | 18-6 NSAA) who claimed 42 points.
Mayville State (19-25 | 10-14 NSAA) was chosen third while Valley City State (22-24 | 13-11 NSAA), Viterbo (11-31 | 6-17 NSAA), Presentation (19-24 | 11-13 NSAA), and Dakota State (4-34 | 2-21 NSAA) rounded out the poll.
NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll:
Defending National Champion Tennessee Wesleyan earned 17 of the 18 first place votes to earn top billing in the poll with St. Thomas (Fla.) earning the other and coming in second.
Science & Arts (Okla.), Southeastern (Fla.), Georgia Gwinnett, Faulkner (Ala.), Bellevue, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.), Indiana Tech, and Oklahoma City comprised the remainder of the Top 10.
The Bruins were the lone NSAA representative in the poll.
Bellevue posted a 48-16 overall mark in 2019, including going 23-1 in conference play, before going onto a string of postseason success. In winning 41 of their final 44 games, the Bruins won both the NSAA Regular-Season and Tournament Championships, emerged victorious in the NAIA Opening Round – Shreveport Bracket, and qualified for the Avista NAIA World Series where BU picked up a fifth place finish.