COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M was selected to finish third in the SEC Western Division in the 24th annual SEC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll, the league announced on Thursday. Nick Banks named Preseason All-SEC Second Team in the league's first-ever release of preseason all-conference squads.
The Aggies were slotted to finish third by LSU, who received 13 of 14 first-place votes and Alabama. Texas A&M received one first-place vote. The Bayou Bengals were overwhelming favorites with all 91 possible points. Alabama tallied 62 points, followed by Texas A&M (60), Arkansas (59), Mississippi State (52), Ole Miss (42) and Auburn (19).
Defending national champion Vanderbilt was the selection to win the Eastern Division with 89 points and 11 first-place votes. Florida earned three first-place votes, finishing second with 80 points. South Carolina was slotted third with 67 points, followed by Tennessee (51), Georgia (42), Kentucky (36) and Missouri (20).
Points were compiled on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.
Vanderbilt was predicted to be the 2015 SEC champion. In the 14 votes cast for the overall league winner, Vanderbilt received 11 votes, followed by Florida with two and LSU with one.
Banks, who has earned Preseason All-America Second Team honors from both D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game USA, was selected to the SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
As a freshman, Banks batted .327 with 29 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 26 RBI and seven stolen bases. In 30 SEC contests, Banks ranked fourth in the league with a .360 batting average, going 41-for-114 with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 15 runs and 16 RBI.
Following his successful rookie campaign, Banks earned Freshman All-America recognition from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Collegiate Baseball. He was named All-SEC Second Team as well as earning a place on the SEC All-Freshman squad. Banks and Florida's Logan Shore were the only two freshmen to earn All-SEC status in 2014.
SEC league play is set to begin Friday, March 13. The SEC Tournament will be played at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama on May 19-24.
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 – 20Â
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 *
* - Ties were not broken
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