FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas will begin the 2020 season in an increasingly familiar situation: Highly ranked.
The Razorbacks were ranked No. 5 in the preseason USA Today coaches poll that was released Thursday. It is the program's second-highest preseason ranking ever in the poll, and highest since Arkansas was ranked No. 1 to begin the 2013 season.
Preseason USA Today college baseball coaches poll from a panel of 31 Division I head coaches with first-place votes in parentheses, last season’s final record and points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote:
Vanderbilt (20);59-12;761
Louisville (10);51-18;740
Texas Tech;46-20;603
Georgia;46-17;597
5. Arkansas;46-20;582
Mississippi State;52-15;569
Miami;41-20;542
UCLA;52-11;512
Auburn;38-28;509
Florida (1);34-26;476
Michigan;50-22;459
LSU;40-26;439
Arizona State;38-19;378
Florida State;42;23;352
Stanford;45-14;309
North Carolina;46-19;293
Oklahoma State;4021;264
North Carolina State;42-18;237
East Carolina;47-18;206
Duke;35-27;202
Texas A&M;39-23;162
Georgia Tech;43-19;148
Ole Miss;41-27;95
Wake Forest;31-26;86
Oregon State;36-20;70
Others receiving votes: TCU 51, West Virginia 49, Arizona 45, Oklahoma 43, UC Santa Barbara 38, Texas 36, Clemson 36, South Carolina 21, Dallas Baptist 18, Baylor 16, Tennessee 14, Ohio State 11, Minnesota 10, Coastal Carolina 10, Southern Miss 9, UC Riverside 8, Cal State Fullerton 8, Connecticut 7, Cal State-Bakersfield 7, Old Dominion 6, Houston 6, Indiana 5, South Alabama 4, Rhode Island 4, Florida Atlantic 4, UNC Wilmington 3, Brigham Young 3, Boston College 3, San Diego State 2, Marist 2, Indiana State 2, Creighton 2, Northeastern 1.
It is the fifth time since 2007 that Coach Dave Van Horn's Razorbacks have started the season ranked in the coaches top 10 and the second time in three years. They were ranked No. 6 to begin the 2018 season and No. 12 to start last year.
Counting this year's preseason poll, Arkansas has been ranked in 42 consecutive coaches polls dating to March 2017.
Arkansas is coming off a 46-20 season that included a share of the SEC Western Division championship and an appearance in the College World Series for the second consecutive year. The Razorbacks return six position starters and two weekend starting pitchers from last year but must replace multiple top relievers, including two-year ace closer Matt Cronin.
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad and shortstop Casey Martin, both juniors, are consensus preseason All-Americans. Arkansas also returns All-SEC players in designated hitter Matt Goodheart, outfielder Christian Franklin and pitchers Connor Noland and Patrick Wicklander. Goodheart was second-team all-conference along with Kjerstad and Martin last season, and Franklin, Noland and Wicklander were on the league's all-freshman team.
Arkansas is one of nine SEC teams ranked in the coaches poll and one of six in the top 10. Reigning national champion Vanderbilt received 20 of 31 first-place votes in the poll and will begin defense of its title ranked No. 1.
The Commodores are followed by Louisville (No. 2), Texas Tech (3), Georgia (4) and Arkansas. Louisville received 10 first-place votes, and Florida received one first-place vote in the poll.
Other ranked SEC teams are Mississippi State (6), Auburn (9), Florida (10), LSU (12), Texas A&M (21) and Ole Miss (23).
The Razorbacks are scheduled to host Georgia and Florida from the SEC East and play every SEC West team this season. None of Arkansas' scheduled nonconference opponents are ranked, but Oklahoma, Texas and South Alabama received votes in the poll, as did South Carolina and Tennessee, the Razorbacks' other cross-divisional opponents.
Arkansas is scheduled to begin preseason practice Saturday with a noon scrimmage at Baum-Walker Stadium that is open to the public, weather permitting. The first practice was rescheduled from Friday because of a forecast that includes snow flurries and temperatures in the 30s.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to begin the season Feb. 14 with the first game in a three-game home series against Eastern Illinois.
ARKANSAS SCHEDULE
All times Central
DATE;OPPONENT;TIME
Feb. 14;E. Illinois;3 p.m.
Feb. 15;E. Illinois;2 p.m.
Feb. 16;E. Illinois;1 p.m.
Feb. 20;Gonzaga;3 p.m.
Feb. 21;Gonzaga;3 p.m.
Feb. 22;Gonzaga;2 p.m.
Feb. 23;Gonzaga;1 p.m.
Feb. 28;Oklahoma+;3 p.m.
Feb. 29;Texas+;7 p.m.
March 1;Baylor+;7 p.m.
March 3;Illinois State;3 p.m.
March 6;South Alabama;3 p.m.
March 7;South Alabama;2 p.m.
March 8;South Alabama;1 p.m.
March 10;Grand Canyon;6:30 p.m.
March 11;Grand Canyon;3 p.m.
March 13;at Mississippi State*;6:30 p.m.
March 14;at Mississippi State*;2 p.m.
March 15;at Mississippi State*;1 p.m.
March 17;Oklahoma^;6 p.m.
March 20;Alabama*;6:30 p.m.
March 21;Alabama*;6:30 p.m.
March 22;Alabama*;1:30 p.m.
March 24;at Troy;6 p.m.
March 25;at Troy;1 p.m.
March 27;at Mississippi*;TBA
March 28;at Mississippi*;TBA
March 29;at Mississippi*;TBA
March 31;Oral Roberts;6:30 p.m.
April 2;Florida*;TBA
April 3;Florida*;6:30 p.m.
April 4;Florida*;2 p.m.
April 7;UALR;6:30 p.m.
April 9;Texas A&M*;6:30 p.m.
April 10;Texas A&M*;6:30 p.m.
April 11;Texas A&M*;2 p.m.
April 14;Missouri State;6:30 p.m.
April 17;at LSU*;7 p.m.
April 18;at LSU*;6:30 p.m.
April 19;at LSU*;2 p.m.
April 21;at Michigan State;5:35 p.m.
April 22;at Michigan State;2:05 p.m.
April 24;Auburn*;6:30 p.m.
April 25;Auburn*;6:30 p.m.
April 26;Auburn*;1:30 p.m.
April 28;UAPB;6:30 p.m.
April 29;UAPB%;6:30 p.m.
May 1;at South Carolina*;6 p.m.
May 2;at South Carolina*;3 p.m.
May 3;at South Carolina*;12:30 p.m.
May 8;Georgia*;6:30 p.m.
May 9;Georgia*;6:30 p.m.
May 10;Georgia*;1:30 p.m.
May 14;at Tennessee*;TBA
May 15;at Tennessee*;TBA
May 16;at Tennessee*;TBA
May 19-24;SEC Tournament, Hoover, Ala.
*SEC game
+at Minute Maid Park, Houston
^at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Oklahoma City
%at Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock
Sports on 01/24/2020