Baseball picked to finish second in NCAC in preseason poll

Senior Conor O'Malley is one of the top returners for the Wittenberg baseball team for 2024.
Senior Conor O'Malley is one of the top returners for the Wittenberg baseball team for 2024.

2024 NCAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll |

CLEVELAND — The Wittenberg baseball team was picked to finish second in the North Coast Athletic Conference in the 2024 Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released on Thursday.

The Tigers received one first-place vote and 73 points.

Denison was picked as the conference favorite with eight first-place votes and 80 points, and Wooster was third with 57 points.

Wittenberg finished 32-10 overall and was second to Denison in the NCAC with a 14-2 mark in 2023. The Tigers were also the runner-up in the 2023 NCAC Tournament.

Top returners to the Tigers' 2024 roster include senior outfielders Conor O'Malley (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward's) and Luke Thomas (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge), senior catcher Matt Moore (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth), junior third baseman and outfielder Ben Seibert (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle), senior pitcher Nick Cunningham (Fredericktown, Ohio/Fredericktown) and junior pitcher Nate Floyd (Akron, Ohio/Copley).

Led by head coach Brian McGee, the Tigers open their 2024 season on Feb. 24 with a doubleheader at Ferrum.

Their home opener is scheduled for March 16 with a doubleheader against Muskingum.

The schedule also includes games against five teams ranked in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Preseason Top 25 Poll in No. 6 Lynchburg, No. 8 Marietta, No. 16 Denison, No. 20 Christopher Newport and No. 24 Eastern Connecticut State.

They open NCAC play on March 30 with a doubleheader at Hiram.

The 2024 NCAC Tournament is scheduled for May 9-11 at V.A. Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.

2024 NCAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll

  Team (first-place votes) Points
1. Denison (8) 80
2. Wittenberg (1) 73
3. Wooster 57
4. Wabash 55
5. Kenyon 49
6. DePauw 33
7. Ohio Wesleyan 29
8. Oberlin 18
9. Hiram 11