Preseason Poll

TUCSON, Ariz. - The UW-Stevens Point baseball team received its highest ever preseason ranking and will open the 2011 season ranked third in nation according to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's NCAA Division III Pre-Season Poll.

The rank also ties the highest rank the Pointers have ever received. The other time UWSP was ranked third was during the final poll of the 2007 season, when the team finished third at the Division III College World Series.

Part of the reason for the high expectations in 2011 is the Pointers will be returning 70 percent of their pitching from a season ago. Five of their top six pitchers return, including returning All-WIAC pitchers Scott Williams (Baraboo/Baraboo) and Joel Delorit (Sturgeon Bay/Southern Door).

Williams also received All-Midwest Region honors in 2010, while Delorit was named to the second team.

The Pointers also return six starters from last year's World Series team, and eight players who started at least 25 games.

Leading the way will be last seasons' WIAC Position Player of the Year and Third Team All-American Eric Fritz (Custer/SPASH).

Also returning from a big season last year was All-WIAC and a Gold Glove All-American in Justin Jirschele (Clintonville, WI/Clintonville).

All in all the Pointers will be returning 21 letterwinners from a season ago, including eight players who competed in the Northwoods League. The eight players in that league topped all other Division III schools.

The Pointers will kick off their 2011 season when they travel to face St. Olaf College in the Metrodome on March 8^th for a doubleheader beginning at 5:00 p.m.

After that the Pointers will go on their annual Florida trip, where they will play eight games in six days.