Panthers Ranked In College Baseball Insider Preseason Poll

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee baseball program is among the teams selected to the CollegeBaseballInsider.com 2011 preseason poll when the website released the list last week. The Panthers find themselves among the teams receiving votes in the poll after an NCAA Tournament appearance and 33-26 overall record a season ago.

Milwaukee is eager to return to action in 2011, bringing back five everyday starters in the field and seven players who earned postseason honors from the Horizon League last year.

The Panthers are the only Horizon League team on the list and one of just six members of the region to receive votes, joining Minnesota, Michigan, Central Michigan, Illinois State and Iowa.

"Well, it is nice to know that we are on the minds of the voters out there," UWM head coach Scott Doffek said. "We know that preseason polls are nice to see, but don't mean anything once the season begins. We have to go out and earn everything we want to achieve and that is our focus."

First-Team honoree Paul Hoenecke (.308, 36 runs, 31 RBI) and second-team members Cole Kraft (.350, 48 runs, 21 2B) and Sam Sivilotti (.352, 37 RBI) are joined by Horizon League Newcomer of the Year and league tournament MVP Chad Pierce (7-5, 102.2 IP, 4.03 ERA), as well as Relief Pitcher of the Year Cameron Amsrud (3.00 ERA, 9 saves) and All-Newcomer Team selections Jayme Sukowaty (4-2, 4.40 ERA) and Jonathan Capasso (.310, .409 OBP).

The new season begins with a three-game series at Tennessee, beginning Feb. 18.

Courtesy of Milwaukee Sports Information