12/20/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State is ranked 30th by Arizona-based Collegiate Baseball magazine in the first preseason college baseball poll for 2004.

Defending national champion Rice and Miami are tied for the top spot in the publication's "Fabulous 40" poll, the first such preseason tie for the top position in the history of the Collegiate Baseball poll, dating back to 1959.

MSU is one of eight Southeastern Conference teams included in the poll. Louisiana State trails Rice and Miami at No. 3, followed by No. 14 South Carolina, No. 15 Florida, No. 18 Auburn, No. 27 Mississippi, No. 30 Mississippi State, No. 35 Alabama and No. 38 Tennessee.

The Bulldogs return six of eight starting position players and 17 lettermen from the 2003 edition that posted a 42-20-1 record and advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Starkville Regional. State was ranked 24th in Collegiate baseball's final ranking for 2003.

Bulldog skipper Ron Polk begins his 25th season as Mississippi State's head baseball coach when MSU takes on Western Kentucky and Illinois in the season-opening MSU Challenge Feb. 27-29 at Dudy Noble Field. Mississippi State is scheduled to play its first 12 games at home, including a three-game set Mar. 12-14 against No. 16 Southern Cal in the fourth annual NBC Classic.

Mississippi State plays 24 games against teams included in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll.

Source: MSU Media Relations