| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
2011 Overall |
2011 NWC |
| Linfield College |
(8) |
72 |
33-11 |
20-4 |
George Fox University
|
(1) |
52 |
26-13 |
14-10 |
| Pacific Lutheran University |
|
48 |
19-20 |
13-11 |
| Pacific University |
|
42 |
21-16 |
14-10 |
| University of Puget Sound |
|
36 |
17-17 |
15-9 |
| Whitworth University |
|
32 |
20-20 |
13-11 |
| Willamette University |
|
25 |
22-17 |
12-12 |
| Whitman College |
|
19 |
5-30 |
4-20 |
| Lewis & Clark College |
|
8 |
5-32 |
3-21 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on
9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches cannot vote for their own team.)
Seattle, Wash. - Linfield College, currently ranked No. 4
in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association/D3baseball.com preseason poll, is a strong favorite to
become the Northwest Conference champions, according to the
preseason poll of NWC coaches.
The Wildcats received eight out of nine first place votes and a
total of 72 points in the poll. The 2011 NWC Coach of the
Year, Scott Brosius, welcomes back five First Team All-NWC
recipients from a year ago. These recipients include the 2010
NWC Pitcher of the Year senior Ryan Larson and senior pitcher
Robert Vaughn on the mound, senior Kevin Allan at shortstop, and
sophomores Clayton Truex and Tim Wilson as designated hitter and
utility player.
George Fox University acquired the other first place vote and 52
points total in the preseason poll. All-NWC starting pitcher
senior Brian Ranta will lead from the mound.
Pacific Lutheran University is third in the poll with 48 points
followed by Pacific University with 42 points. All-NWC first
baseman senior Brock Gates and All-NWC outfielder sophomore Jacob
Hoffman will lead the Lutes. The Boxers will be led by the
2011 Pitcher of the Year in junior Rob Dittrick and senior
infielder Nate Rasmussen.
The University of Puget Sound rounds out the top five in the
poll with 36 points. UPS will look to Second Team All-NWC
senior infielder selections Andrew Grady and Matt Cox as well as
Second Team All-NWC junior pitcher Matt Robinson for guidance.
Whitworth University is number six in the poll with 32 points
followed by Willamette University with 25 points. The Pirates
will be lead by All-NWC senior third baseman Landon Scott while the
Bearcats will be led by sophomore Second Team All-NWC honorees
first baseman Brandon Chinn and pitcher Brandon Simon.
Whitman College was eighth with 19 points, while Lewis
& Clark was ninth with 8 points.
The first weekend of NWC games is scheduled for March 3-4.