| School |
(1st) |
Pts. |
'03 Overall |
'03 NWC |
| George Fox University |
8 |
88 |
31-13 |
18-5 |
| Linfield College |
1 |
64 |
21-19 |
14-10 |
| Willamette University |
|
61 |
21-13 |
17-7 |
| Pacific Lutheran University |
|
46 |
12-26 |
11-12 |
| University of Puget Sound |
|
45 |
18-18 |
11-12 |
| Whitworth College |
|
44 |
15-22-1 |
12-11 |
| Pacific University |
|
34 |
22-17 |
13-11 |
| Lewis & Clark College |
|
18 |
11-26-1 |
8-16 |
| Whitman College |
|
11 |
4-28 |
2-22 |
(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 10-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).
George Fox Picked to Win Third Straight Title
Spokane, Wash. - George Fox University, looking for its third straight Northwest Conference baseball championship and fourth in the last five years, has been picked to finish at the top again in 2004 in the pre-season coaches' poll.
The Bruins picked up eight of nine first place votes and 88 total points. George Fox, which lost in the NCAA West Regional final to eventual national champion Chapman University last spring, returns All-Northwest Conference pitchers Mike Beck, Cory Dixon and Scott Hyde, as well as all-conference designated hitter Joshua Sargent.
Linfield College finished second in the poll with 64 points and picked up the other first place vote. The Wildcats welcome the return of All-NWC third baseman David Moore.
Willamette University was third in the poll with 61 points. The Bearcats, who challenged George Fox before finishing second last season, will rely on All-NWC pitcher Jeff Jensen.
Pacific Lutheran University (46 points), the University of Puget Sound (45) and Whitworth College (44) finished fourth through sixth in the poll, respectively, separated by only two points. PLU anticipates the return of All-NWC pitcher Matt Serr, while UPS welcomes back All-NWC catcher Olin Wick.
Pacific University was sixth in the poll with 34 points, followed by Lewis & Clark College (18) and Whitman College (11).
The season gets underway February 6 when Willamette plays Cal Lutheran University at Menlo College in Atherton, California.