USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches Poll Released


The USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 preseason baseball coaches' poll, with 2008 records in parentheses, total points based on 25 points for first place through one point for 25th, ranking in the final 2008 poll and first-place votes received:
                                          1st-place
Rank  School (2008 record)   Points  Prev.  votes
 1.   LSU (49-19-1)            738     6     14
 2.   North Carolina (54-14)   737     3     12
 3.   Rice (47-15)             673     7      1
 4.   Georgia (45-25-1)        600     2      0
 5.   Texas A&M (46-19)        590    12      2
 6.   Stanford (41-24-2)       576     5      1
 7.   Arizona State (49-13)    533     9      0
 8.   Cal State-Full. (41-22)  507    10      0
t9.   Florida State (54-14)    500     8      0
t9.   Texas (39-22)            500    21      0
 11.  Mississippi (39-26)      431    NR      0
 12.  Georgia Tech (41-21)     327    24      0
 13.  Oklahoma State (44-18)   321    18      0
 14.  Miami (Fla.) (53-11)     320     4      0
 15.  San Diego (44-17)        304    17      0
 16.  Louisville (41-21)       292    NR      0
 17.  Baylor (32-26)           269    NR      0
 18.  UC-Irvine (42-18)        262    11      0
 19.  Fresno State (47-31)     247     1      1
 20.  Missouri (39-21)         224    19      0
 21.  Pepperdine (38-21)       156    NR      0
 22.  UCLA (33-27)             140    NR      0
 23.  Florida (34-24)          112    NR      0
 24.  Coastal Car. (50-14)     102    16      0
 25.  Clemson (31-27-1)         80    NR      0

Other SEC teams receiving votes: Kentucky (44-19) 64; Alabama (35-28) 20; Arkansas (34-24) 17; Vanderbilt (41-22) 13; Auburn (28-28) 10; South Carolina (40-23) 10.