University of Connecticut Athletics
Preseason BIG EAST Poll has Huskies seventh
12/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
PROVIDENCE, RI (December 4)– The University of Connecticut baseball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2002 BIG EAST regular season standings, according to a poll of conference head coaches released today.
Notre Dame was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2002 BIG EAST Baseball Championship, and Irish senior outfielder Steve Stanley was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year. Rutgers’ junior righthander Bob Brownlie was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
The Huskies, who finished fifth in the conference last season with a 13-13 mark, will try to improve on last season’s 26-25 overall record when they take the field this spring for a school record 56 games. UConn returns 14 letterwinners from last season’s squad, including senior Jon Gorrie (Northboro, MA) and junior Peter Soteropoulos (Peabody, MA). Gorrie finished last season with a .390 average and drove in 31 runs while Soteropoulos batted .364 and had a team-best 39 RBI. Connecticut will also add 16 newcomers, highlighted by Auburn junior transfer Brett Burnham (South Windsor, CT) and freshmen Josh MacDonald (Milford, CT) and Nick Tucci (Medford, MA).
Connecticut, led by 22-year head coach Andy Baylock, will open its season at the Great Savannah Shootout against Armstrong Atlantic on Friday, February 22, 2002. The Huskies will play 15 games on the road before returning to Storrs for the home-opening doubleheader against defending BIG EAST regular season champion Notre Dame on Saturday, March 23.
2002 BIG EAST Baseball Preseason Poll
Team Pts. 2001 Record
2001 BIG EAST
1.
Notre Dame (8) 98 49-13-1
22-4-0
2.
Rutgers (2) 92 42-17-0
18-8-0
3.
Virginia Tech (1) 78 29-28-1
14-11-1
4.
Seton Hall 69 34-23-1
14-11-1
5.
St. John’s 65 31-22-0
13-13-0
6.
Boston College 54 29-22-0
11-13-0
7.
Connecticut 46 26-25-0
13-13-0
8.
West Virginia 34 27-26-0
12-14-0
9.
Villanova 31 25-25-1
10-16-0
10.
Pittsburgh 26 18-27-0
6-18-0
11.
Georgetown 12 17-39-0
7-19-0
