Lewis-Clark State College Earns Top Spot in Preseason Coaches’ Poll
LA GRANDE, Ore. – For the third consecutive season, the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team has been selected as the favorite for the 2016 NAIA West title, after a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Earning five of the six first place votes, Lewis-Clark totaled 35 points in the poll, edging out second place by only four points. The Warriors are coming off a 24-4 record in West play and an NAIA National Championship after winning the 2015 World Series 10-7 over St. Thomas (Fla.).
Coming in second in the preseason coaches’ poll with one first place vote and 31 points is the University of British Columbia. The Thunderbirds are coming off a third place finish in the NAIA West a year ago with an 18-10 record, going 39-19 overall. In last year’s NAIA West Grouping Championship, UBC outlasted former member Concordia 5-2 to take the title.
Coming in third in the preseason voting was College of Idaho with 21 points followed by Corban (20), Oregon Tech (10) and Simpson (9).
2016 NAIA West Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Place |
Institution |
Points |
2015 Overall |
2015 NAIA West |
| 1. |
Lewis-Clark State (5) |
35 |
46-12 |
24-4 |
| 2 |
British Columbia (1) |
31 |
39-19 |
18-10 |
| 3. |
College of Idaho |
21 |
33-26 |
13-15 |
| 4. |
Corban |
20 |
27-29 |
14-14 |
| 5. |
Oregon Tech |
10 |
17-32 |
8-20 |
| 6. |
Simpson |
9 |
12-41 |
2-26 |
First place votes in parentheses