Endicott College Baseball Picked First In 2016 Commonwealth Coast Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll‏ – Gulls Open Season 3/5 vs. Salem State

BEVERLY – The Endicott baseball team has been picked first in the 2016 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) preseason coaches’ poll, as selected by the league’s nine head coaches.

Endicott received seven out of nine first place votes and 79 points total to finish ahead of Salve Regina (67 points, 1 first place vote) and Roger Williams (59 points, 1 first place vote). Curry was ranked fourth overall (55), while Western New England (54), Gordon (26), Nichols (26), Wentworth (20), and Eastern Nazarene (19) rounded out the poll in respective order.

The Gulls will open their 2016 season against Salem State at home on March 5 (1 PM) before heading to Florida where they will play seven games on the trip, which will include a matchup against the reigning NCAA Division III champions, Cortland State (3/15).

Endicott will also play Franklin & Marshall (3/13, DH), UMass Dartmouth (3/14), William Paterson (3/17), Rowan (3/18), and Wisconsin-Oshkosh (3/19). All six programs that the Gulls will play during their spring break trip have combined to win seven NCAA national titles, and have also made 99 NCAA Tournament appearances in their illustrious and respective program histories.

Cortland State highlights the group with 13 College World Series visits and 23 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, while Rowan made five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2010-14) prior to last season.

Throughout the remainder of the regular season schedule, the Gulls will take on all ten teams that landed a spot on the final NCAA New England Regional rankings (in order of finish) – Southern Maine, Wesleyan, Amherst, UMass Boston, Salem State, Worcester State, St. Joseph’s (Maine), UMass Dartmouth, MIT, and Wheaton. All ten teams combined for a 247-129 record (.657) in 2015, claimed four conference titles, and earned five NCAA Tournament selections (one at-large bid).

2016 CCC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll

	Team	Points (First Place Votes)
1.	Endicott	79 (7)
2.	Salve Regina	67 (1)
3.	Roger Williams	59 (1)
4.	Curry	55
5.	Western New England	54
T-6.	Gordon	26
T-6.	Nichols	26
8.	Wentworth	20
9.	Eastern Nazarene	19