Hurricanes Baseball Ranked No.33 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll

The Miami Hurricanes were ranked No.33 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s preseason poll, the first rankings released ahead of the 2019 season. This ranking seems fair for the Hurricanes, who have a lot to prove in their first season under Gino DiMare. Miami has a lot of talent, but it is very young, and they’ll have to grow up quick against an extremely tough schedule.

The Hurricanes were ranked among seven other ACC teams, three of whom were in the top 10; No.8 North Carolina, No.9 Louisville, and No.10 Florida State. Miami will have to play each of the aforementioned three ACC teams ranked in the Top 10, with the series against both Louisville and North Carolina coming on the road.

Additionally, Miami will play No.22 N.C. State, No.20 Duke, and No.17 Georgia Tech in ACC play. The only ACC team ranked in this poll that Miami does not have to play this season is No.15 Clemson. The ACC has drastically improved in baseball, especially in the Coastal Division, and this early poll goes to show just how talented the conference has become.

In addition to the conference opponents ranked, Miami has a few ranked non-conference opponents ranked as well. In-state rival Florida was ranked at No.6, and Miami will have to rise to the challenge early when they face off against the Gators in Gainesville in the second week of the season. The schedule gets even more difficult when you notice that mid-week opponents Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, and Florida Atlantic are all receiving votes in the poll.

Miami has a lot to prove to earn this ranking, and considering the schedule ahead, will have plenty of opportunities to prove just how good they are when the season begins just under two months from now. The ACC should again be one of the nation’s best conferences, and every week will be a challenging one for the ‘Canes.