Mitchell Receives #2 Ranking in NECC Preseason Baseball Poll
ATTLEBORO, Mass. - Elms College has been chosen as the preseason favorite to capture the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy. Mitchell College received 43 points to notch the second-place spot. The Mariners nabbed four of the six first place votes. Becker College earned third-place with 37 points, while Newbury College placed fourth with 28 points. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the NECC's head baseball coaches.
This is the inaugural year for the New England Collegiate Conference. Six of the nine NECC members sponsor baseball.
The Elms Blazers (12-20, 6-4 NAC) received two of the six first-place votes in the 2009 NECC preseason poll. Head coach Don LaValley returns 16 players 12 of which were starters. The Blazers will be led by two North Atlantic All-Conference players in first-team senior outfielder Nick Mackowiak (Dudley, Mass.) and second-team junior hurler Mike Bieber (Wading River, N.Y.).
Daniel Webster College and Southern Vermont College rounded out the poll with 5th and 6th place respectively. The Eagles received 25 points, while the Mountaineers nabbed 21 points.
Teams received eight points for every first place vote received, seven points for second place votes, six points for third place votes, down to three points for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
2009 NECC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
TEAM
POINTS (1st Place
votes)
Elms
44
(2)
Mitchell 43 (4)
Becker 37
Newbury 28
Daniel Webster 25
Southern Vermont 21