ASC Preseason Baseball Poll/Player Watch Lists - 2012 Schedule - 2012 Roster
CLINTON, MS - The Mississippi College baseball team has been predicted to finish in a tie for second in the American Southwest Conference East Division, it was announced by the league office on Wednesday (Jan. 18) after a vote of each division's head coaches, sports information directors and media members.

The Choctaws picked up 114 points and three-first place votes after finishing 24-18 in 2011.  MC advanced to the ASC Tournament for the 11th consecutive time and a league-leading 12th appearance, overall.

MC opens the 2012 season on February 3rd at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL.  The Choctaws will play their first home games on Saturday February 18th when they host Blue Mountain College in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.

Last season, head coach Brian Owens and the Choctaws led the ASC in batting average (.330), runs (373), home runs (50) and walks (189).  Their 50 home runs led all of NCAA Division III last season.

Senior third baseman #Spencer Brunson# made the "Players to Watch" list after leading the conference with 70 hits and 10 home runs in 2011.  Brunson also ranked second in the ASC with a .417 batting average.

Senior pitcher #Bo Craig# was also named to the "Players to Watch" list after going 4-1 in seven starts last season.  Craig struck out 33 hitters over 40.1 innings pitched, and opponents only hit .224 against the right-hander.

Texas-Tyler, which went 33-8 last season and won their sixth division championship in seven seasons, totaled 129 points and nine of the possible 21 first-place votes to be the favorites in the East Division.  Head coach Paul Wyczawski's Patriots led the league in pitching last year with a 2.74 ERA and just 88 walks over 345 innings of work.  UT Tyler, which won back-to-back conference titles in 2009-10, has reached the NCAA postseason three straight years.

Texas-Dallas (29-18) tied MC with 114 points and picked up five first-place votes.  The Comets and the Choctaws have reached the title game the last two seasons, respectively.  Louisiana College (26-17) picked up the final four first-place votes and totaled 102 points to claim the fourth-place position, rounding out what would be the East Division's four teams to qualify for the ASC Tournament.

LeTourneau totaled 51 points to be the fifth-place selection in the East, followed by East Texas Baptist (45 pts.) and Ozarks (33 pts.).  First-year ASC member Centenary will compete in the East Division but is ineligible for the conference and division title as it continues to phase out athletic scholarships.  The Gents' games will not count toward conference standings.

Concordia Texas, which went 32-17 last year en route to the conference title, totaled 181 points and collected 17 of the 24 possible first-place votes to be the favorites in the West Division.  Head coach Tommy Boggs' Tornados, who shared the division crown with Hardin-Simmons last season, stole a league-high 85 bases and won 16 of their final 21 ballgames - the last loss coming to NCAA Division III runner-up Chapman.  CTX also won a conference title in 2002.

Hardin-Simmons wrapped up the second place position with 166 points and six first-place votes.  Head coach Steve Coleman's Cowboys (31-14) led the West in hitting (.322) and pitching (3.99 ERA) last year.  Three-time ASC champion Texas Lutheran (24-19) landed the final first-place votes and was predicted for a third-place finish with 140 points.  Four-time conference champion McMurry (17-27) came in the fourth spot with 111 points to round out what would be the West Division's four teams to qualify for the ASC Championship Tournament Series.

Mary Hardin-Baylor was predicted to finish fifth in the West with 104 points, followed by Sul Ross State (71 pts.), Howard Payne (66 pts.) and Schreiner (32 pts.).

The 2012 ASC season - the 16th in league history - begins as early as February 3.  The eight-team conference tournament's first round, which is played in a best-of-three series format at sites of the top two seeds from each division, is set for April 27-28.  The four victorious teams will advance to the double-elimination championship round, set for May 4-6 at the home field of the top remaining seed from the West Division.  The ASC Champion receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.

2012 ASC PRESEASON BASEBALL POLL
[Voted on by ASC Head Coaches, Sports Information Directors and Media Members]

WEST DIVISION
            Team (first-place votes)              Points          2011 Record
1.         Concordia Texas (17)                    181               32-17, 15-6 ASC (T1st)
2.         Hardin-Simmons (6)                     166               31-14, 15-6 ASC (T1st)
3.         Texas Lutheran (1)                        140               24-19, 13-8 ASC (3rd)
4.         McMurry                                           111               17-27, 11-10 ASC (4th)
5.         Mary Hardin-Baylor                        97                19-20, 9-12 ASC (6th)
6.         Sul Ross State                               71                15-21, 7-14 ASC (7th)
7.         Howard Payne                               66                15-20, 10-11 ASC (5th)
8.         Schreiner                                        32                 8-29, 4-17 ASC (8th)

EAST DIVISION
            Team (first-place votes)             Points         2011 Record
1.         Texas-Tyler (9)                               129              33-8, 14-4 ASC (1st)
T2.       Texas-Dallas (5)                            114              29-18, 11-7 ASC (T2nd)
T2.       Mississippi College (3)                114              24-18, 11-7 ASC (T2nd)
4.         Louisiana College (4)                   102              26-17, 11-7 ASC (T2nd)
5.         LeTourneau                                     51                19-21, 7-11 ASC (T5th)
6.         East Texas Baptist                         45                14-26, 7-11 ASC (T5th)
7.         Ozarks                                              33                8-32, 2-16 ASC (7th)
             *Centenary                                                          12-31, 9-18 Summit League (8th)

*Ineligible for the conference and division title as it continues to phase out its athletic scholarships.

2012 ASC PRESEASON WATCH LISTS
[One position player and pitcher nominated by each ASC head coach]

16 To Watch in the West Division