Printer Friendly
Email This Page
News Release
UMBC BASEBALL SELECTED SEVENTH IN AMERICA EAST PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
2/23/2005
 John Jancuska's Retrievers were selected seventh in the America East Preseason Coaches' Poll. |
The UMBC Baseball team was selected to finish seventh out of eight teams in the America East Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll announced today by the conference office. Stony Brook was selected as the preseason conference pick to win the league championship which will be held May 26-28 as the top-four teams at the end of the regular season advance to the conference championship tournament.
The Retrievers return 16 players from last year and have added 16 first-year players give John Jancuska, entering his 28th season as the Retrievers’ skipper, a young squad in 2005. UMBC begins their second year in the America East Conference after finishing seventh last year with a 6-15 league mark. Two of those conference wins came in the Retrievers series with reigning league champion Stony Brook as the Retrievers took two-of-three.
Headlining the Retrievers in 2005 is co-captains Eric Butkiewicz and Kyle Wildasin, both looking to claim top spots on a couple of Retriever all-time career pitching charts. Butkiewicz is on track to set UMBC’s all-time strikeouts and innings pitched while Wildasin, who already is UMBC’s career leader in saves, is looking to take over the top spot for career appearances.
Following Stony Brook (58 points) in the conference poll is
UMBC opens their season at Old Dominion on Friday, Feb. 25 for a three-day three-game series. Friday’s game starts at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday are slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.