Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Baseball picked third in MVC Preseason Coaches Poll
02/05/2008 | 12:00:00 | Baseball
Feb. 5, 2008
By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University was picked to finish third in this year's Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the league announced today.
Wichita State was nearly a unanimous favorite to win the conference race, garnering eight of nine first-place votes. Creighton, SIU, Missouri State and Northern Iowa rounded out the top-five.
Junior catcher Mark Kelly and sophomore outfielder Aaron Roberts earned preseason all-conference honors for the Dawgs.
A native of Hanover Park, Ill., Kelly hit .379 and led the Valley with 63 RBI en route to first-team all-conference and American Baseball Coaches Association all-region accolades in 2007. He enters the year ranked among the top-10 catchers in the nation, according to rivals.com.
Roberts, who hails from Chatham, Ill., hit .349 as the Salukis' second-best hitter a year ago. He was both a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American and second-team all-MVC pick.
The Salukis open their 2008 season with a four-game home series against Western Michigan on Feb. 22-24.
