ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has released the 2010 NSIC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll with Concordia being slated eighth by the 13 baseball coaches in the league. The 2009 Golden Bears finished with a 16-15 record and in eighth place, a half game ahead of ninth and just a game and a half out of the top-six for an NSIC Tournament selection. FULL NSIC Preseason Poll
The eighth spot in the preseason poll is the lowest in Concordia's 11 years of Northern Sun membership, showing how strong the baseball program has become under head coach Mark "Lunch" McKenzie, who leads Concordia in his 11th year, is the all-time winningest coach in program history and has coached 67 players who have advanced to a professional career.
They had previously been picked sixth twice in the history of the poll, in 2001 (2nd year in the league) and in 2008. The 2008 team showed just what the NSIC Preseason Poll means, winning the NSIC Tournament Championship and advancing to the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament in any male team sport at Concordia in their Division II era.
Concordia is led by last season's NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, senior outfielder Brenden Furrow (Johnston, Iowa) who has tied the career hits record with 178 despite playing just three seasons for the Golden Bears. Back for a final year, Furrow will be expected to anchor a young lineup, play right field and occasionally step in at first base where he played enough last year to qualify as a utility selection for this year's NCBWA Preseason All-America Third Team.
On the mound, Concordia's top returner, junior Nick Anderson (Wayzata, Minn.) led the team in wins last season with a 7-2 record. That 7-2 mark matched All-American Jake Schmidt, who was drafted by the Chicago Cubs organization. Anderson is a proven winner with a 9-3 career record and 61.1 innings in 22 appearances in his first two seasons pitching behind experienced and talented hurlers along the way. He is now Concordia's most experienced returner and will presumably anchor the starting rotation.
The Preseason Poll was topped by Minnesota State, Mankato, who narrowly edged out last year's league champion Wayne State. MSU received seven first place votes, Wayne picked up five and St. Cloud State earned the other. MSU had 151 points to WSC's 148, showing the proximity of the two clubs. Conversely, Wayne State is ranked 14th nationally in the Collegiate Baseball News Preseason Coaches Poll while Minnesota State did not crack the top-40 but is receiving votes.
Following the top-two squads is Southwest Minnesota State, who Concordia will face three times on their Spring Trip to Orlando, Fla. in early March. The Mustangs are also receiving national recognition in the CBN Coaches Poll, garnering even more support than the Mavericks, but earning 120 points in the NSIC's poll showing great distance between the top-two and the rest of the pack.
SMSU barely edges out fourth place Winona State (118) and fifth place SCSU (114) while Augustana is the last team above 100 with 106 in sixth. Those top six are who the coaches feel will represent the league in the conference tournament, with the champion earning the NSIC's only automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Upper Iowa and Concordia, two programs with solid baseball reputations, will certainly compete for that top-six aggressively with 92 and 82 points while Minnesota Duluth, who finished just behind CU with a 16-16 mark last year, had 78 in the poll.
Concordia will open their season in less than two weeks, on Thursday, February 4 with a doubleheader in the Metrodome against Northwestern of Iowa at 8:00 p.m.
