Feb. 12, 2015
Nashville, Tenn. – The coaches of the Southeastern Conference have selected Vanderbilt to win the league title in 2015.
The top-ranked Commodores received 11 of the 14 coaches’ votes to win the league with Florida receiving two votes and LSU one. The Dores lead the East division and are followed closely by the Gators, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri. LSU was tabbed to win the West with Alabama, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Auburn rounding out the division.
The coaches’ vote marks the second time in the last three years the Dores have been tabbed to win the East division, joining the 2013 season. Vandy has not been picked to win the league title since 2008.
For the first time the league’s coaches also selected two preseason All-SEC teams with five Commodores finding their way onto the preseason squads. Outfielder Bryan Reynolds and pitchers Carson Fulmer and Hayden Stone were each placed on the first team with Walker Buehler and Dansby Swanson earning second team honors. Fulmer and Swanson picked up All-SEC honors last season while Stone and Reynolds received Freshman All-SEC accolades. All five players were named to various preseason All-American teams earlier this month.
Vanderbilt is set to open the 2015 campaign tomorrow afternoon inside Hawkins Field at 4 p.m.
2015 SEC BASEBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL
Eastern Division
1. Vanderbilt (11) – 89
2. Florida (3) – 80
3. South Carolina – 67
4. Tennessee – 51
5. Georgia – 42
6. Kentucky – 36
7. Missouri – 20
Western Division
1. LSU (13) – 91
2. Alabama – 62
3. Texas A&M (1) – 60
4. Arkansas – 59
5. Mississippi State – 52
6. Ole Miss – 42
7. Auburn – 19
SEC Champion: Vanderbilt (11); Florida (2); LSU (1).
2015 SEC BASEBALL COACHES PRESEASON ALL-SEC TEAMS
First Team
C – Gavin Collins, Mississippi State
1B – Sikes Orvis, Ole Miss
2B – Kyle Overstreet, Alabama
2B – Max Schrock, South Carolina
SS – Alex Bregman, LSU
3B – DC Arendas, South Carolina
OF – Christin Stewart, Tennessee
OF – Bryan Reynolds, Vanderbilt
OF – Andrew Stevenson, LSU
DH/UT – A.J. Puk, Florida
SP – Carson Fulmer, Vanderbilt
SP – Logan Shore, Florida
RP – Hayden Stone, Vanderbilt
Second Team
C – Kade Scivicque, LSU
1B – Kyle Martin, South Carolina
2B – Nick Senzel, Tennessee
SS – Dansby Swanson, Vanderbilt
3B – Josh Tobias, Florida
OF – Nick Banks, Texas A&M
OF – Mark Laird, LSU
OF – Harrison Bader, Florida
DH/UT – Taylor Widener, South Carolina
SP – Walker Buehler, Vanderbilt
SP – Robert Tyler, Georgia
RP – Thomas Burrows, Alabama
RP – Jacob Stone, Arkansas