Dec. 19, 2011

CBN Preseason Top 40 Poll | CBN Preseason All-American Teams

TUCSON, Ariz.- Purdue baseball was one of five Big Ten Conference teams receiving votes in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top 40 poll, a list that features 13 universities on the Boilermakers' 2012 regular-season schedule.

Purdue, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska were among the five Big Ten teams included in the receiving votes portion of the poll. However, the Boilers will not play Minnesota during the regular-season portion of the schedule this year. Purdue hosts Illinois (April 13-15) and Michigan State (April 27-29) and travels to Lincoln for the first time for an April 20-22 series with the Huskers.

Five nonconference opponents are ranked among the CBN's Preseason Top 40. No. 15 Louisville leads the way and is projected to have a bounce-back season after posting a 32-29 mark a year ago. The Cardinals are also the only team among the five ranked in the Top 40 that visits West Lafayette this season. The Boilermakers host U of L for their March 27 home opener.

No. 19 UCLA, No. 30 Southern Miss, No. 31 Missouri State and No. 37 Wichita State are also among the Top 40. Purdue is set to play weekend series at Wichita State (March 15-17) and UCLA (May 5-6). The Boilermakers square off against Southern Miss at Auburn's four-team tournament the first weekend of March and visit Missouri State for a midweek date (March 13) on the spring break trip.

East Carolina, Auburn, Connecticut, Notre Dame and Illinois State represent Purdue's nonconference opponents also receiving votes in the preseason poll. The Boilermakers take on ECU (Feb. 24) and Auburn (March 2) on successive Fridays in the opening-night games of those teams' respective four-team tournaments. And for the second year in a row, Purdue plays UConn and Notre Dame on back-to-back days at the season-opening Big Ten/Big East Challenge in Clearwater-St. Petersburg. The Boilers travel to Illinois State for an April 24 midweek game.

The Jan. 6, 2012 print edition of Collegiate Baseball newspaper also includes a complete look at every NCAA Division I Conference with preseason rankings and a listing of top players in each league, including projected pitchers and players of the year. Also featured are the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American teams and a draft preview of all potential college players who may be picked in the first two rounds of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft in June.

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