University of Minnesota Athletics
BB: Minnesota Ranked in Baseball America Preseason Top-50
1/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Minnesota was the highest ranked Big Ten team in the preseason poll. The Golden Gophers No. 45 ranking was one better then Michigan's No. 46 ranking in the preseason poll.
The Golden Gophers have four non-conference opponent's ranked in the preseason top-50. Minnesota's first opponent of the season, Arkansas, is ranked No. 26 in the poll. The Golden Gophers also had two opponents from the Dairy Queen Classic ranked in the poll in No. 7 South Carolina (Mar. 5) and No. 32 Pepperdine (Mar. 6). St. John's (Mar. 12-13) is also ranked No. 31 and Louisiana-Lafayette (Mar. 13) is No. 47.
Minnesota has won the Big Ten regular-season title the last three seasons (2002, 2003 and 2004) and won both the tournament and regular-season title last year.
The Golden Gophers have also advanced to the NCAA Tournament in six of the last seven seasons. Minnesota enters this season with 20 letterwinners, eight position players and nine pitchers from last year's roster.
Minnesota also returns six players who were named to an All-Big Ten team last year. Junior first baseman Andy Hunter (West St. Paul, Minn.) was named First-Team All-Big Ten, while senior catcher Jake Elder (Delta, British Columbia) and sophomore first baseman/designated hitter were named Second-Team All-Big Ten. Junior shortstop Matt Fornasiere (Maple Grove, Minn.), senior third baseman David Hrncirik (Madison, Wis.) and junior second baseman Luke MacLean were named Third-Team All-Big Ten.
Minnesota will host the Pro-Alumni Game on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. The Golden Gophers will open up the season at 2004 College World Series participant Arkansas. Minnesota will take on the Razorbacks on Feb. 25-27.
Team (2004 Record) 1. Tulane (41-21) 2. Louisiana State (46-19) 3. Cal State Fullerton (47-22) 4. Texas (58-15) 5. Miami (50-13) 6. Stanford (46-14) 7. South Carolina (53-17) 8. Washington (39-20) 9. Arizona State (41-18) 10. Georgia (45-23) 11. Baylor (29-31) 12. Arizona (36-27) 13. Texas A&M (42-22) 14. North Carolina (43-21) 15. Florida (43-22) 16. Mississippi (39-21) 17. Vanderbilt (45-19) 18. Rice (46-14) 19. Georgia Tech (44-21) 20. Notre Dame (51-12) 21. Texas Christian (39-26) 22. Long Beach State (40-21) 23. Oklahoma State (38-24) 24. Oral Roberts (50-11) 25. Winthrop (37-23) 26. Arkansas (45-24) 27. Florida State (45-23) 28. Mississippi State (35-24) 29. College of Charleston (47-16) 30. Southern California (24-32) 31. St. John's (37-23) 32. Pepperdine (30-32) 33. Florida Atlantic (47-17) 34. Tennessee (38-24) 35. Virginia (44-15) 36. Clemson (39-26) 37. Central Florida (47-18) 38. Cal Poly (38-23) 39. Wichita State (49-16) 40. UC Irvine (34-23) 41. Stetson (36-23) 42. Hawaii (31-24) 43. Alabama (29-26) 44. Fresno State (29-29) 45. Minnesota (38-23) 46. Michigan (34-26) 47. Louisiana-Lafayette (34-23) 48. San Diego (35-21) 49. Auburn (32-24) 50. Nebraska (36-23)
