The third-rankde UVA baseball team has been picked as the 2015 ACC preseason favorite by a vote of the conference’s 14 head coaches. The preseason ACC favorite for the second straight season, Virginia was named by 10 coaches as the conference’s team to beat.
UVa was named by 13 of the 14 coaches as the preseason Coastal Division favorite. UVa totaled 97 points in the voting (seven points for a first place vote, six for second place, etc.), and was followed by North Carolina (78), Miami (75), Georgia Tech (54), Duke (43), Virginia Tech (24) and Pitt (21).
Florida State was named the favorite of the Atlantic Division. With 91 points, the Seminoles are followed by ACC newcomer Louisville (84), Clemson (77), NC State (53), Wake Forest (39), Notre Dame (25) and Boston College (23).
Virginia returns 14 letterwinners from its 2014 team that went 53-16 and reached the College World Series Finals. The Cavaliers bring back their entire starting pitching rotation from 2014: LHP Nathan Kirby (Jr., Midlothian, Va.), LHP Brandon Waddell (Jr., Houston, Texas) and RHP Josh Sborz (Jr., McLean, Va.) and also welcome back five key position players.
Kirby and Waddell each have been named preseason All-Americans, and they are joined by junior outfielder Joe McCarthy (Scranton, Pa.).
UVa is ranked third nationally in the preseason by D1Baseball and Collegiate Baseball. The Cavaliers begin official practice for the 2015 season on Friday (Jan. 23) and start their season three weeks later with a three-game series at East Carolina (Feb. 13-15).
Season tickets and Mini Packages for the 2015 season currently are on sale through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office. Single-game tickets go on sale Monday (Jan. 26).
2015 ACC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Overall Champion
1. Virginia, 10
2. Florida State, 4
Coastal Division
1. Virginia (13), 97
2. North Carolina, 78
3. Miami (1), 75
4. Georgia Tech, 54
5. Duke, 43
6. Virginia Tech, 24
7. Pitt, 21
Atlantic Division
1. Florida State (7), 91
2. Louisville (4), 84
3. Clemson (3), 77
4. NC State, 53
5. Wake Forest, 39
6. Notre Dame, 25
7. Boston College, 23
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Chris Graham
