MAC Coaches Pick Baseball as Preseason Favorite for Sixth-Straight Season
2/17/2016 2:41:00 PM | Baseball
For the sixth-straight season, Kent State was selected as the preseason favorite in the Mid-American Conference, as voted on by all eleven head coaches and released Wednesday by the conference office.
The Golden Flashes received 63 points (nine first place votes) and four votes to win the MAC Tournament, beating out the other ten teams. Central Michigan was picked to win the West Division with 56 points (six first place votes).
Following Kent State in the East Division was Ohio (55 points), Bowling Green (43), Miami (37) and Buffalo (22). Ball State was selected second in the West (53) with Western Michigan (42), Toledo (41), Northern Illinois (24) and Eastern Michigan (15) coming behind.
Central Michigan received the second-most tournament votes with two. Ball State, Bowling Green, Miami, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan all received one.
The 2016 season will begin Friday for the Golden Flashes when they take on reigning College World Series Champion Virginia in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at 4 p.m. MAC play is slated to begin on the road March 25-27 at Central Michigan, a matchup that is sure to showcase some of the conference's best talent.
East Division Predictions:
1. Kent State – 63 points (9 1st place votes)
2. Ohio – 55 points (2)
3. Bowling Green – 48 points
4. Miami – 37 points
5. Buffalo – 15 points
West Division Predictions:
1. Central Michigan – 56 points (6)
2. Ball State – 53 points (3)
3. Western Michigan – 42 points (1)
4. Toledo – 41 points
5. Northern Illinois – 24 points (1)
6. Eastern Michigan – 15 points
Tournament Champion Votes:
Kent State (4)
Central Michigan (2)
Ball State (1)
Bowling Green (1)
Miami (1)
Northern Illinois (1)
Western Michigan (1)
