The Stetson Hatters opened spring camp on Friday after some early morning rain moved through the DeLand area.
While they were waiting for weather to clear, the team received word that they would open the year ranked No. 31 in the preseason poll released on Friday by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
The NCBWA continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 15th year with its 2012 preseason predictions and weekly surveys. Weekly polls will resume from Feb. 21-June 28 with the finale following the 66th annual 2012 NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb., at two-year-old TD Ameritrade Park.
The poll voters come from 40 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top 30 beginning with the Feb. 21 NCBWA survey.
The Hatters were the only team from the Atlantic Sun Conference to earn a ranking in the preseason survey of baseball writers and media relations professionals from across the country. Belmont and Jacksonville both were listed as having received votes.
The top two spots in the poll, which have been the same in every preseason poll this year, went to Florida and two-time defending national champion South Carolina. North Carolina, Stanford and Texas A&M rounded out the top five.
In addition to the Gators and Hatters, three other teams from the Sunshine State were ranked among the top 35 teams in the nation and three other schools from the state received votes. Florida State is ranked 10th in the poll, Miami is 16th and UCF is ranked 28th. Bethune-Cookman, FIU and JU all received votes.
Stetson will face eight teams during the 2012 season that were either ranked in the preseason poll or received votes.
The Hatters have just three weeks to prepare for the start of the season. Stetson is slated to open the 2012 campaign on Friday, Feb. 17, against George Washington from the Colonial Conference to open a three-game series.
Stetson is looking for a second straight Atlantic Sun Conference title. Head coach Pete Dunn enters into his 33rd season in charge of a Hatters program coming off a 43-20 overall record in 2011. Stetson earned its 17th all-time NCAA Regional appearance, its 16th under Dunn.
The Hatters will open the 2012 season with 18 of their first 19 games at Melching Field, with the only road game just down the road in Daytona Beach. Stetson will host Central Michigan for a four-game set beginning Feb. 24.
The Hatters will host the Brighthouse Invitational Tournament March 2-4 with two games scheduled each day at Melching Field. Visiting teams from Pennsylvania, Southern Illinois and Georgia State will also participate in the event.
Season tickets for the complete 36-game home schedule, plus the return of the A-Sun Conference Tournament in May, are available for purchase by contacting the Stetson Athletics Ticket Office at 386-822-8110 or by visiting the ticket office in person at the Edmunds Center.
