UW-La Crosse Picked To Win Baseball Championship
MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has been selected to win the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball title, based on a preseason poll conducted by league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
The Eagles entered the 2016 campaign ranked No. 2 nationally by D3baseball.com and return 21 letterwinners from last season’s squad that finished as the national runner-up and record a program-best 36 victories. UW-La Crosse has won 12 regular-season conference championships with the most recent in 2012 and made consecutive NCAA appearances for the first time in program archives.
UW-Whitewater, ranked ninth by D3baseball.com, is slotted for second in the six-team WIAC race. The Warhawks have collected three straight regular-season crowns and 16 overall. UW-Whitewater is followed in the league poll by: UW-Oshkosh; UW-Stevens Point; UW-Platteville; and UW-Stout.
2016 Preseason Predictions (Voted on by WIAC head coaches and sports information directors)
|
2015 Record |
| 1. UW-La Crosse |
36-16 overall, 17-7 WIAC |
| 2. UW-Whitewater |
35-11, 18-6 |
| 3. UW-Oshkosh |
26-17, 14-10 |
| 4. UW-Stevens Point |
33-14, 16-8 |
| 5. UW-Platteville |
21-19, 12-12 |
| 6. UW-Stout |
17-22, 5-19 |
Team Vitals (Entering the 2016 season)
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Chris Schwarz; 12th season at UWL; 250-207-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 21/7
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 7/2
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 3/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/1
Returning All-WIAC: Justin Anderson, Sr., 1B (2015-First); Caleb Boushley, Jr., RHP (2015-Honorable); Travis Buxton-Verstegen, Sr., INF (2014-Honorable); Alex Cordova, Sr., SS (2015-First); Taylor Kohlwey, Sr., OF (2014-Position Player of the Year; 2015-First); Ben Morgan, Sr., C/3B (2015-Honorable); Joel Zyhowski, Jr., OF (2014-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Seth Feldman, Sr., C; Carter Hoffman, Jr., INF; Eric Vatch, Jr., C/INF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Troy Kenkel, Sr., LHP; Jameson Lavery, Jr., RHP; Jake Stern, Sr., RHP
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Kevin Tomasiewicz, 3rd season at UWO; 43-36
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 17/9
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 7/2
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 5/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 3/1
Returning All-WIAC: Andy Brahier, So., 1B (2015-First); Johnny Eagan, Jr., OF (2015-First); Peter Jewell, Sr., LHP (2015-First); Tyler Kozlowski, Jr., 3B (2014-Honorable, 2015-Honorable); Ben Messenger, Sr., LHP (2015-First); Jesse Sustachek, So., RHP (2015-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Robbie Kleman, Sr., OF; Jack Paulson, So., SS; Logan Reckert, So., OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Lucas Gregory, So., LHP; Adam Rude, Sr., RHP; Matt Sabel, Sr., LHP
UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Eric Frese; 18th season (10th at UWP); 276-420-2 (overall) / 141-219-2 (UWP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 20/10
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 9/0
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 5/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 0/1
Returning All-WIAC: Austin Daniels, Sr., RHP (2015-Honorable); Colin DeBoer, Jr., INF/C (2015-Honorable); Casey Schroeder, Sr., INF (2015-Honorable)
Notable Returning Position Players: Tanner Galeazzi, Sr., OF; Evan Greco, Sr., OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Nathan Fay, Jr., RHP
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Jeremy Jirschele; 1st season at UWSP; 0-0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 20/12
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 4/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 1/2
Returning All-WIAC: Cody Hanke, Sr., 1B/OF (2015-Position Player of the Year); Luke Watson, Sr., RHP (2014-Pitcher of the Year)
Notable Returning Position Players: Ray Greco, So., SS; Ben Gerber, Jr., C/OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Mark Kowalke, Sr., RHP; Heinrich Walder, Jr., RHP
UW-Stout
Head Coach: Toby Gardenhire; 5th season at UWST; 66-92
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 24/6
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 5/5
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 6/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 2/1
Returning All-WIAC: Brady Burzynski, Sr., OF (2014-First); Zach Carlson, Jr., RHP (2014-First); Hayden Bowe, Jr., RHP (2015-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Noah Brown, Jr., 3B/1B; Hunter Dicus, Jr., OF; Josh Halling, Sr., OF
Notable Returning Pitchers: Austin Booher, Jr., RHP; Patrick Gullickson, Sr., RHP; Kellen Pearson, Sr., RHP
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: John Vodenlich; 15th season (13th at UWW); 466-179-1 (overall) / 437-139-1 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 19/12
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost: 3/6
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost: 7/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost: 5/1
Returning All-WIAC: Lake Bachar, So., RHP (2015-First); Steve Chamberlain, Jr., INF (2015-First); Connor Hurst, Sr., RHP (2014-Honorable); Curtis Morgan, Sr., RHP (2014-First, 2015-First)
Notable Returning Position Players: Daytona Bryden, So., OF; Jordan Kuczynski, Jr., INF; Will Helbing, So., OF/DH
Notable Returning Pitchers: Austin Finn, Jr., RHP; Mike Nompleggi, Jr., RHP; John Olejniczak, Jr., LHP
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