Collegiate Baseball on Thursday released its preseason poll for the 2013 season, with the Gamecocks coming in at No. 7.
South Carolina finished last season 49-20, falling to Arizona in the College World Series championship. The Wildcats are preseason ranked No. 18.
South Carolina is one of 10 SEC schools to be ranked in the preseason poll. Also ranked is Arkansas (No. 1), Vanderbilt (No. 3), LSU (No. 4), Kentucky (No. 8), Mississippi State (No. 13), Florida (No. 24), Ole Miss (No. 25), Texas A&M (No. 26) and Georgia (No. 28).
The Gamecocks begin the 2013 season on Friday, Feb. 15, hosting a three-game series vs. Liberty at Carolina Stadium.
USC returns six position starters, 13 pitchers and 25 letterwinners from last year's squad.
| Rank School (’12 Final Record) | Points |
|---|---|
| 1. Arkansas (46-22) | 496 |
| 2. North Carolina (46-16) | 495 |
| 3. Vanderbilt (35-28) | 494 |
| 4. Louisiana St. (47-18) | 487 |
| 5. UCLA (48-16) | 484 |
| 6. Oregon (46-19) | 482 |
| 7. South Carolina (49-20) | 481 |
| 8. Kentucky (45-18) | 478 |
| 9. Stanford (41-18) | 476 |
| 10. Oregon St. (40-20) | 473 |
| 11. N.C. State (43-20) | 470 |
| 12. San Diego (40-17) | 467 |
| 13. Mississippi St. (40-24) | 464 |
| 14. Oklahoma (42-25) | 462 |
| 15. Texas Christian (40-22) | 460 |
| 16. Arizona St. (36-20) | 458 |
| 17. Georgia Tech. (38-26) | 456 |
| 18. Arizona (48-17) | 454 |
| 19. Florida St. (50-17) | 452 |
| 20. Rice (41-19) | 450 |
| 21. Texas (30-22) | 448 |
| 22. Louisville (41-22) | 446 |
| 23. Cal. St. Fullerton (36-21) | 445 |
| 24. Florida (47-20) | 443 |
| 25. Mississippi (37-26) | 437 |
| 26. Texas A&M (43-18) | 434 |
| 27. Clemson (35-28) | 429 |
| 28. Miami, Fla. (36-23) | 427 |
| 29. Georgia (31-26) | 423 |
| 30. U.C. Irvine (31-25) | 420 |
| 31. Missouri St. (40-22) | 418 |
| 32. Wichita St. (35-25) | 415 |
| 33. New Mexico (37-24) | 413 |
| 34. Kent St. (47-20) | 411 |
| 35. Virginia (39-19-1) | 408 |
| 36. Southern Mississippi (32-24) | 405 |
| 37. East Carolina (36-24-1) | 403 |
| 38. Coastal Carolina (42-19) | 400 |
| 39. Dallas Baptist (41-19) | 397 |
| 40. Pepperdine (36-23) | 395 |
Other Teams Receiving Votes: Central Florida, Baylor, Oklahoma St., Long Beach St., Cal Poly, U.C. Santa Barbara, Tulane, St. John's, South Florida, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Florida Atlantic, College of Charleston, Fresno St., Indiana St., Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Nevada, San Diego St., Nevada-Las Vegas, South Alabama, Florida International, Gonzaga, Texas St., New Mexico St., Western Carolina, Appalachian St., Georgia Southern, Sam Houston St., Southeastern Louisiana, Southern California, Washington, California, Washington St., Oral Roberts, Austin Peay St., Stony Brook, S.C. Upstate, Kennesaw St., Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast, St. Louis, Rhode Island, Virginia Commonwealth, Liberty, Campbell, High Point, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan St., Ohio St., Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, N.C. Wilmington, Hofstra, James Madison, Valparaiso, Manhattan, Canisius, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Bethune-Cookman, Southern, Bryant, Monmouth, Belmont.
Source: Collegiate Baseball Newspaper
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