2009 NWC Baseball Coaches Poll

(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).

Linfield Leads Crowded List of Favorites in 2009 NWC Baseball Coaches Poll

Spokane, Wash. - Defending champion Linfield College is a slight favorite to win the Northwest Conference baseball title once again in 2009, edging George Fox University and Pacific Lutheran University in a preseason poll of NWC coaches.

The Wildcats picked up four out of nine first place votes to total 79 total poll points. Linfield must overcome the graduation of five starters who were either first or second team All-NWC selections in 2008, including NWC Pitcher of the Year Brian Clark. But the Wildcats will welcome back starting pitchers Cameron Larson, Reese McCulley and Garrett Dorn, all of whom were second team All-NWC selections, along with first team relief pitcher Robert Vaughn. Linfield advanced to the NCAA Division III world series last season.

George Fox University, which won or shared five straight NWC titles from 2002 - 2006, is second in the poll with 75 total points and three first place votes. The Bruins have three All-NWC pitchers back as well, including first team honoree Mark Putney. First baseman Matt Wyckoff and outfielders Kyle Kuenzi and Dan Winterstein, all second team selections in 2008, will lead a potent offense.

Pacific Lutheran University, which won its first-ever NWC baseball title in 2007, is third in the poll with 71 points and the remaining two first place votes. The Lutes return first team All-NWC outfielders Geoff Gabler and Ryan Aratani, as well as first team All-NWC starting pitchers Trey Watt and Robert Bleecker. Relief pitcher Hunter Simpson was a second team choice last spring.

Willamette University is fourth in the poll with 49 points. Kyle Stalker, the 2008 NWC Player of the Year who led the NWC in home runs (22) and runs batted in (63), returns to lead the Bearcats along with first team All-NWC shortstop Doug Bloom.

Whitworth University picked up 40 points for fifth place in the poll. Chad Flett, a first team All-NWC utility player, will return to pitch and play first base for the Pirates.

The University of Puget Sound (36 points) and Pacific University (35) follow in sixth and seventh place, respectively. The Loggers welcome back All-NWC reliever Ryan Gustafson, while the Boxers return second team All-NWC designated hitter Kaeo Lee Hee.

Lewis & Clark College was eighth with 20 points. Tucker Laurence earned first team All-NWC as a freshman starting pitcher for the Pioneers in 2008.

Whitman College rounds out the poll in ninth place with 10 points. The Missionaries have the honor of opening up the NWC schedule with a series at Occidental on February 6-8.

For the second year in a row the NWC will use a four-game series for in-conference play. The first weekend of NWC games is scheduled for February 28 and March 1.