After going 34-24 overall and 12-15 in Pacific 10 Conference play a year ago, the Arizona baseball team enters the 2011 season ranked in several preseason collegiate baseball polls.
The Wildcats are ranked No. 19 by Baseball America, No. 22 by Collegiate Baseball, and No. 25 by both the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll.
But high national rankings don’t necessarily mean elite status in the conference, especially not the loaded Pac-10.
Arizona was picked to finish fifth in the conference by the Pac-10 Preseason Coaches’ poll.
UA returns 2010 all-conference selections Kurt Heyer, the team’s ace, Jett Bandy, a catcher, and outfielder Steve Selsky. The Wildcats also return 10 players who started at least 20 games a season ago.
The Wildcats open the season on Feb. 18 with a three-game series against North Dakota State.
Pac-10 Preseason Coaches’ poll
1. UCLA
2. Stanford
3. ASU
4. Oregon
5. Arizona
6. California
7. Washington State
8. Oregon State
9. Southern California
10. Washington
