2018 USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll

MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball will open the 2018 season ranked No. 23 in the USA Today Sports preseason coaches poll.

USA is the lone Sun Belt Conference representative in the top 25. The Jaguars return eight starters from last season's 40-21 squad that captured the SBC Tournament championship and competed in the NCAA Hattiesburg (Miss.) Regional.

Florida, the defending national champion, is ranked first in the poll, followed by Oregon State, Texas Tech, TCU and Florida State.

Two Jaguar opponents for 2018 are ranked in the poll:  Texas Tech (No. 3) and LSU (No. 9). USA will travel to Lubbock, Texas, for a four-game series with TTU March 2-4, and will travel to Baton Rouge, La., on March 14 to square off with the Tigers.

South Alabama will begin the 2018 season also ranked by Collegiate Baseball (No. 17), D1Baseball (No. 20) and Baseball America (No. 24).

The Jags will open the 2018 season on Fri., Feb. 16, against Kansas State at 3 p.m. (CT) in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club, the baseball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/dugoutclub.