ATLANTA- The Georgia State baseball team has been picked to finish toward the top of the Colonial Athletic Association standings once more in 2012, it was announced Thursday by the conference office.
GSU has been picked preseason fourth by league head coaches behind fellow 2011 CAA tournament participants James Madison, UNC Wilmington and Old Dominion.
The Panthers were just two points out of third place and received two first place votes, as did the Seahawks and Monarchs. JMU received the remaining five.
The Panthers have reached the season-ending conference tournament four of the past five seasons and haven't finished below fourth in the CAA standings since 2008.
This year, the league tournament field expands back to six teams and will be hosted by JMU's Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Va., in May. The Dukes captured last year's conference crown in Wilmington, N.C.
GSU last won the conference tournament in 2009 en route to its first-ever NCAA Regional appearance.
The Panthers return all-CAA infielders Brandon Williams (.342, 36 RBIs, 13 2B) and Drew Shields (.321, 20 RBIs, 4 2B) to anchor the 2012 lineup. Additional returnees on offense include redshirt-seniors Joey Wood (career .355 avg.) and Jonathan Kolowich (career .309 avg.), who look to lead a young group of talented position players.
On the mound, NCBWA Preseason all-American Jake Dyer teams up with GSU's all-time ERA leader, Justin Malone, to provide one of the strongest one-two punches in the league.
Senior right-handers Ben Marshall and Tyler Claburn also help anchor a staff that returns seven lettermen from last year and welcomes a crop of promising young arms into the fold.
GSU begins the hunt for its fifth postseason appearance in six seasons under coach Greg Frady when it kicks off the 2012 season Feb. 17 against Western Illinois. The Panthers host a four-game home series against the Leathernecks at the GSU Baseball Complex, starting that Friday at 4 p.m.
Conference play begins for the Panthers March 16-18 against Northeastern. GSU welcomes the top two league favorites- JMU and UNCW- to the GSU Baseball Complex later in the season. Only the Panthers and Seahawks have reached each of the last three CAA tournaments.
Predicted to finish in this year's postseason picture in fifth and sixth were VCU and George Mason, respectively. Rounding out the poll were Delaware and William & Mary, tied for seventh, followed by Towson, Hofstra and Northeastern.
