Drury's Panthers have been tabbed for a second-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference West Division, as the league's coaches revealed their preseason poll on Wednesday.
Coach Scott Nasby's Panthers are the two-time defending GLVC champions, having defeated Quincy in the post-season tourney championship game each of the past two seasons. The Hawks, along with Indianapolis in the East Division, are the favorites according to the coaches this spring.
Drury Baseball opens its season February 19-21 in Austin, Texas against nationally-ranked St. Edward's University.
Quincy took the top spot in the West Division with 117 points and 12 of the 16 first-place votes. The Hawks currently pace all GLVC squads in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Preseason Poll as they will enter the 2016 campaign ranked 22nd. Quincy went 27-9 in league play last year to capture the West crown and the No. 1 overall seed in the GLVC Baseball Championship Tournament. The Hawks, who finished the season with 40 wins for the first time since 2006 and just the fourth time in school history, will be led by redshirt senior pitcher Teddy Rule, junior hurler Graham Spraker, and junior utility standout David Jacob, all of whom earned Rawlings/ABCA Division II Midwest All-Region distinction last season.
Defending GLVC Champion Drury University has been picked to finish second in the West. The Panthers, who eliminated Quincy in both the GLVC Championship game and the NCAA Midwest Regional, earned 96 points and one first-place vote. They are coming off a season that not only saw them post back-to-back GLVC titles, but win the 2015 crown as the No. 7 seed in the eight-team tournament, making them the highest seeded team to ever win the league title. Drury, which enters the season ranked No. 40 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, was 19-16-1 in league play and finished 33-24-1, ending the season with a loss to Truman State University in the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Truman State has been voted third in the West after the Bulldogs are coming off their most successful season in school history. Reigning ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year Dan Davis led Truman to a school record 35 wins, a Midwest Regional Championship, and the school's first-ever trip to the Division II College World Series. The Bulldogs received 91 points in the poll, including two first-place markers.
William Jewell College, which received the final first-place vote along with 68 points, has been picked to place fourth, while University of Missouri-St. Louis (66), Missouri S&T (62), Rockhurst University (33) and Maryville University (31) round out the eight-team division.
UIndy garnered the top spot in the East Division with 116 points and 11 of the 16 first-place votes. The Greyhounds enter the 2016 campaign on the heels of a 34-19 record, including a 26-10 mark in conference play that led them to the East Division crown. Senior pitcher Matthew Kaplanis shared GLVC Pitcher of the Year honors last season after going 8-1 with a 3.62 ERA. He ranked in the top 10 in the league in victories, opponent batting average, innings pitched and hits allowed per game. Kaplanis is joined by fellow first-team All-GLVC returnee and senior shortstop Colin Hawk, as well as second-team picks in senior outfielder Brady Thomas, sophomore pitcher Jake Sprinkle and junior pitcher Jordan Tackett.
The University of Southern Indiana picked up the remaining five first-place votes to go along with 105 total points. The Screaming Eagles, winners of the 2010 and 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship, enter the season ranked 33rd nationally following a 28-21 season that saw them earn the No. 5 seed in the GLVC Championship Tournament after a 21-15 mark in league play. USI will be paced by senior outfielder Kyle Kempf and senior third baseman Trent Gunn, who were recently named 2016 Midwest Region Preseason All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Bellarmine University (94), Saint Joseph's College (71) and Lewis University (69) were picked to finish third through fifth, respectively, while the University of Illinois Springfield (54), McKendree University (30) and University of Wisconsin-Parkside (29) rounded out the division.
The first pitch of the 2016 GLVC baseball season is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 5, with Maryville facing Lincoln University in Joplin, Missouri. UW-Parkside follows with its opener on Feb. 12, while Drury, UIndy, McKendree, Southern Indiana and William Jewell will see first pitch on Feb. 19. Missouri S&T, Saint Joseph's and Truman State open on Feb. 20, followed by Bellarmine (Feb. 24), Quincy (Feb. 26), Missouri-St. Louis (Feb. 27), Rockhurst (Feb. 27), Lewis (Feb. 28) and Illinois Springfield (March 4).
The Conference will host the 2016 GLVC Championship Tournament on May 12-15 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
The complete 2016 GLVC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll follows:
2016 GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll – EAST DIVISION
| Pos. | Team (1st) | Points |
| 1. | Indianapolis (11) | 116 |
| 2. | Southern Indiana (5) | 105 |
| 3. | Bellarmine | 94 |
| 4. | Saint Joseph's | 71 |
| 5. | Lewis | 69 |
| 6. | Illinois Springfield | 54 |
| 7. | McKendree | 30 |
| 8. | UW-Parkside | 29 |
2016 GLVC Baseball Preseason Poll – WEST DIVISION
| Pos. | Team (1st) | Points |
| 1. | Quincy (12) | 117 |
| 2. | Drury (1) | 96 |
| 3. | Truman State (2) | 91 |
| 4. | William Jewell (1) | 68 |
| 5. | Missouri-St. Louis | 66 |
| 6. | Missouri S&T | 62 |
| 7. | Rockhurst | 33 |
| 8. | Maryville | 31 |
