Diamond Hogs Picked 3rd in SEC West by League Coaches

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –– The Arkansas baseball team was picked third in the SEC’s Western Division in the 2006 SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll the conference office announced on Tuesday.

Defending SEC champion Florida was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2006 Southeastern Conference baseball overall and Eastern Division title.

Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.

The Razorbacks received three first-place votes in the SEC West and one as the league’s overall champion. Florida received eight first-place votes for the overall conference championship while LSU got three first-place votes.

Mississippi State was the coaches’ preseason choice to win the SEC West with 54 total points and five first-place votes in the division. LSU was selected second with 51 points and three first-place votes in the West. Arkansas followed with 49 points while Alabama was fourth with 41 points and one first-place vote in the division. Ole Miss was fifth with 34 points and Auburn was sixth with 17 points.

Florida received 11-of-12 first-place votes in the SEC Eastern Division with South Carolina picking up the remaining first-place vote. The Gators garnered 66 total points in the Eastern Division compared to the Gamecock’s 55 votes. Tennessee was third with 46 votes, followed by Vanderbilt (30 votes), Georgia (29 votes) and Kentucky 17 votes.

The Razorbacks were picked third in the SEC West for the second consecutive season. The Hogs were selected sixth in Western Division by the coaches prior to the 2004 season when they captured the school’s second SEC Championship.

Arkansas opens the 2006 season on Feb. 10 in Mobile, Ala., against George Mason at 2:30 p.m. on the campus of the University of South Alabama. The Razorbacks then open the home portion of their schedule on Feb. 24 at 12:35 p.m. at Baum Stadium in a doubleheader with Louisiana Tech.

All 56 regular-season games can be heard over the internet in the RazorZone at Hogwired.com. Fans can also watch a majority of the Hogs’ 28 home games, and selected road contests live in the RazorZone.

SEC Champion: Florida (8), LSU (3), Arkansas (1)