Louisville baseball a unanimous preseason choice to win ACC

The Louisville baseball team was selected as the 2016 ACC preseason favorite in a vote of the conference's 14 head coaches. The Cardinals were a unanimous selection as the team to beat in both the Atlantic Division and in the conference.

Louisville, which set an ACC record for conference wins in a single season in winning last year's Atlantic Division title with a 25-5 mark, tallied 98 points while Florida State was the second choice in the division with 74 points. NC State was third with 72 points and was followed by Notre Dame (50), Clemson (46), Wake Forest (35) and Boston College (17).

Miami, which reached the College World Series last year, was named by 13 coaches as the favorite in the Coastal Division. Defending national champion Virginia received one vote for first place in the division and was second with 80 points, followed by North Carolina (71), Georgia Tech (58), Duke (38), Virginia Tech (30), and Pitt (18).

Last year, seven ACC teams earned bids to the NCAA Championship, tied for the most from any conference, while four squads reached the Super Regionals. Miami and Virginia advanced to the College World Series, where Virginia went on to win its first national championship.

The No. 2-ranked Cardinals will open the 2016 season on Feb. 19 at 3 p.m., ET at Jim Patterson Stadium in the first game of a weekend series at home against SIU Edwardsville. Louisville opens ACC action with a weekend series against Notre Dame on March 11-13 at Patterson Stadium, while the 2016 ACC Championship is scheduled for May 24-29 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C.

2016 ACC BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Overall Champion
1. Louisville (14)

Atlantic Division
1. Louisville (14) - 98
2. Florida State - 74
3. NC State - 72
4. Notre Dame - 50
5. Clemson - 46
6. Wake Forest - 35
7. Boston College - 17

Coastal Division
1. Miami (13) - 97
2. Virginia (1) - 80
3. North Carolina - 71
4. Georgia Tech - 58
5. Duke - 38
6. Virginia Tech - 30
7. Pitt - 18