Royals Baseball Ranked 20th in Preseason Poll
11/17/2009 7:29:25 PM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the second consecutive year and the third time in four years, the Warner University baseball team claimed a ranking in the NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll as the Royals were ranked 20th in the 2010 edition announced by the NAIA today (Nov. 17). The Royals who finished with a 37-18 record and earned a berth to the National Tournament Opening Round last season earned 245 total points.
Defending national champions Lubbock Christian University (Texas) claimed the top spot in the poll with 23 first place votes after claiming their second World Series title last season.
The Royals will enter the 2010 season with a veteran squad that finished the regular season with a 19-5 conference mark, which tied the school record for most conference wins in a season. Among the returners are All-Conference honorees first baseman Dan Smith and catcher Cory Johnson . Smith finished the season batting .339 with a team leading 17 doubles while Johnson finished with a .305 batting average and a team leading 11 homeruns.
Fellow Sun Conference school Embry-Riddle University was also ranked in the preseason poll as they were ranked seventh with 561 total points. Savannah College of Art & Design and University of South Carolina-Beaufort received national votes.
The Royals 2010 season is scheduled to begin on January 26 when they travel to Ave Maria, Fla. to face Ave Maria University in a 6:30 p.m. game.