Louisville baseball earns highest preseason ranking in program history

The University of Louisville baseball team received its highest preseason ranking in school history Monday landing at No. 2 in the 2016 Collegiate Baseball newspaper preseason poll.

Monday's ranking was two spots better than the Cardinals' previous best preseason ranking of No. 4 by Baseball America during Louisville's 2013 College World Series season. The No. 2 ranking matches the best overall ranking in school history equaling the high point last season when the Cardinals were second in the nation on May 4, 2015 in the D1Baseball.com and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association polls and again on May 11, 2015 in the D1Baseball.com, NCBWA, USA Today & Perfect Game polls.

The Cardinals have received a preseason top 10 ranking in four straight seasons (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and have earned a preseason national ranking in nine straight seasons (2008-2016) overall. Monday's ranking extends a record-setting run for the Louisville baseball program, which has remained ranked in at least one major national poll every week since the release of the 2012 preseason rankings -- the longest such stretch in school history.

Sitting atop the Collegiate Baseball newspaper preseason poll is Florida, while No. 3 Vanderbilt, No. 4 Miami and No. 5 Texas A&M round out the top five behind the Cardinals. Louisville is the highest ranked team among seven ACC programs and is joined by the Hurricanes at No. 4, reigning NCAA champion Virginia at No. 9, No. 16 Florida State, No. 21 Georgia Tech, No. 22 North Carolina and No. 27 Notre Dame.

The Cardinals are slated to open the 2016 season on Feb. 19 at Jim Patterson Stadium in the first game of a weekend series at home against SIU Edwardsville.

2016 COLLEGIATE BASEBALL NEWSPAPER PRESEASON POLL
Rank   Team (2015 Final Record)
1.        Florida (52-18)                           
2.        Louisville (47-18)                       
3.        Vanderbilt (51-21)                      
4.        Miami, Fla. (50-17)                     
5.        Texas A&M (50-14)                    
6.        Louisiana-Lafayette (42-23)      
7.        Louisiana St. (54-12)                 
8.        Oregon St. (39-18-1)                 
9.        Virginia (44-24)                         
10.       UCLA (45-16)                            
11.       Mississippi St. (24-30)             
12.       Cal. St. Fullerton (39-25)          
13.       California (36-21)                     
14.       Oregon (38-25)                         
15.       Texas Christian (51-15)           
16.       Florida St. (44-21)                    
17.       Missouri St. (49-12)                  
18.       Houston (43-20)                       
19.       Tulane (35-25)                          
20.       Rice (37-22)                              
21.       Georgia Tech (32-23)              
22.       North Carolina (34-24)             
23.       Michigan (39-25)                      
24.       Arkansas (40-25)                      
25.       Oklahoma St. (38-20)               
26.       Stony Brook (35-16-1)             
27.       Notre Dame (37-23)                  
28.       Maryland (42-24)                      
29.       Kentucky (30-25)                      
30.       Pepperdine (32-29)                  
31.       Dallas Baptist (46-15)               
32.       College of Charleston (45-15)
33.       Coastal Carolina (39-21)         
34.       Missouri (30-28)                       
35.       South Carolina (32-25)            
36.       San Diego St. (41-23)               
37.       South Alabama (37-20)             
38.       Winthrop (40-19)                      
39.       Texas Tech. (31-24)                 
40.       Texas (30-27)