UC Santa Barbara was tabbed as the No. 18 team in the country by respected baseball publication Perfect Game in its highly anticipated Preseason Top 25, it was announced this week.
It was the second preseason ranking of the winter for the Gauchos, who checked in at No. 16 in Collegiate Baseball’s poll.
UCSB is the highest ranked team in the Big West in Perfect Game’s tabulations, and the third highest ranked team in the West Region, trailing only UCLA and Oregon.
No. 19 Cal State Fullerton was the only other Big West team to appear in the Top 25.
The preseason recognition from various baseball publications is another step on an upwards trend for the program under head coach Andrew Checketts, as the Gauchos have become annual contenders for postseason contention and even attained the first top-10 ranking for the team in over 25 years since the new staff took over in 2012.
This season looks to be no different, as the Gauchos welcome back a number of heralded returners – including lights-out closer Dillon Tate, steady left-handed starter Justin Jacome, standout two-way player Robby Nesovic, and speedy centerfielder Andrew Calica – to complement a nationally-ranked batch of newcomers like right-handed starter James Carter, slugging first baseman Austin Bush, infielders Kyle Plantier and Clay Fisher, and freshman arms Chris Clements and Kyle Nelson.
The Gauchos will kick off the 2015 campaign this weekend by hosting their annual Alumni Weekend, featuring a social, golf tournament, exhibition game, and more. For additional information, click here.
UCSB will open the regular season with a stretch of 12 out of the first 13 games being played at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, starting with BYU on Feb. 13. Santa Barbara will welcome a number of top-class programs to campus this year, including Pac-12 powerhouse Oregon, SEC mainstay Kentucky, reigning WCC champion Pepperdine, 12-time NCAA champion USC, and traditional conference rivals like Long Beach State, Cal Poly, and UC Irvine.
