A decisive favorite by virtue of eight first-place votes, Kentucky Wesleyan goes into the spring on top of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour that was released on Tuesday.
With part of the 2020 spring, including the national tournament and the majority of the conference schedule, ultimately canceled out due to COVID, there is a strong desire for Great Midwest baseball programs to get back on the field and compete.
Of course, the ultimate destination for these student-athletes is the memorable experience at PRASCO Park in Mason, Ohio, home of the conference championship tournament since 2014.
At the time of release, five teams had already completed at least one game in the schedule while more are set to debut with weather permitting this weekend. Findlay and Ohio Dominican have already fit in games at PRASCO Park and Malone is set to make its season debut there this afternoon.
A few different changes for the baseball landscape are in order including the elimination of the East and West divisions. The top eight teams in the overall standings will still qualify for the conference tournament bracket and the league also awaits the official addition of Ashland, which is nationally ranked in a few different media polls already this year.
Eleven teams are competing for those coveted eight playoff spots and rosters are going to look very different in some instances compared to the incomplete 2020 season.
The Panthers of KWC have plenty of experience at PRASCO and have the formula figured out for making a deep tournament run in the double-elimination bracket. Coached by Todd Lillpop, the Panthers have some very familiar names including 2019 Great Midwest Pitcher of the Year Devin Smith, the all-time conference home run king Joseph Burke (43 HR) and one of the most dangerous leadoff hitters at the dish, CF Cody Bridges.
Kentucky Wesleyan completed the abbreviated 2020 season with a 7-6 record and collected a total of 98 points in the balloting. The Panthers also have a strong contingent of returning positional starters that makes their lineup of the most balanced in the conference.
Only one other team received first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll and that was Walsh’s program guided by head coach Tim Mead. The Cavaliers were picked by three coaches to win the league after posting a 6-4 record in non-conference play last year.
A big stick anchors the batting order in the form of 2019 Great Midwest Player of the Year, NCAA All-Region performer and NCAA All-American, Andrew Czech.
Picked third is Tiffin, still the defined as the defending conference champion following the 2019 tournament run. The Dragons also exceeded expectations that year at the NCAA Midwest Regional and were finalists against future member Ashland.
Alum Cody Orr was signed by the Houston Astros following the revamped MLB Draft format and was a major piece of the puzzle as the leadoff hitter and on the mound as a pitcher.
Malone is always a factor with a deep stable of arms and the Pioneers were viewed to finish in the upper tier at fourth with 67 points. Trevecca Nazarene has multiple conference titles under its belt and will look to carry over the tradition with Chase Sain as the new manager this spring, taking over for Ryan Schmalz. The Trojans were voted fifth in the poll trailing Malone by just one point with 66.
Continuing forward, 2018 North Division champion and 2019 regular season runner-up Ohio Dominican certainly has the track record to finish higher than sixth. The Panthers have really put together some strong seasons since joining the conference and a deep tournament run is really that last piece of the puzzle for a talented program.
Hillsdale also has a conference championship under its belt and the Chargers are looking to recapture their 2018 form. Hillsdale was picked seventh with 55 points. Findlay was viewed as a postseason qualifier and Lake Erie, now coached by longtime former UIndy skipper Gary Vaught, will no doubt be in contention for a playoff spot. Cedarville and Ohio Valley were selected to round out the preseason coaches poll, respectively, going into this spring.
The conference schedule is officially set to begin. Teams will be playing a 4-game weekend series and the first selections of player and pitcher of the week will be announced later this afternoon. Due to scheduling and potential overlapping events, select games will be available and streamed on the Great Midwest Digital Network.
2021 Great Midwest Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour
| School | Points |
| 1. Kentucky Wesleyan (8 first-place votes) | 98 |
| 2. Walsh (3 first-place votes) | 84 |
| 3. Tiffin | 79 |
| 4. Malone | 67 |
| 5. Trevecca Nazarene | 66 |
| 6. Ohio Dominican | 57 |
| 7. Hillsdale | 55 |
| 8. Findlay | 38 |
| 9. Lake Erie | 31 |
| 10. Cedarville | 19 |
| 11. Ohio Valley | 11 |
This is a Great Midwest Athletic Conference press release.
