Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Caden Vincent
Baseball Picked to Win MAC in Preseason Poll
February 12, 2025 | Baseball
D1Baseball also Projects Cardinals to Win MAC; Johnson Preseason Pitcher of the Year
The Ball State baseball team has been picked to win the Mid-American Conference by the league's head coaches in the MAC preseason poll released Wednesday afternoon.
The Cardinals got six first place votes and 95 overall points in the vote, as Kent State (84 points) and Miami (82) finished second and third with each receiving a pair of first place votes for the regular season crown.
Complete poll results can be found below.
Ball State got five votes to win the MAC Tournament, followed by Bowling Green and Kent State with two votes each.
"It is always good to be recognized by your peers, but preseason accolades carry no weight," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. "The team that plays the best will be the last one standing holding the trophy."
The Cardinals finished third in the 2024 regular season standings and made a run to the MAC Tournament championship game. Ball State returns First Team All-MAC selection and MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Keegan Johnson and Second Team All-MAC First Baseman Blake Bevis among a group of 17 returners.
Johnson was named the MAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and the Cardinals were also picked to win the conference by D1Baseball (link above).
The season opener is set for 11 a.m., on Friday against Towson at the Swig & Swine Classic at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C.
2025 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
First Place votes in ( ) | *Coaches were not able to vote for themselves
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The Cardinals got six first place votes and 95 overall points in the vote, as Kent State (84 points) and Miami (82) finished second and third with each receiving a pair of first place votes for the regular season crown.
Complete poll results can be found below.
Ball State got five votes to win the MAC Tournament, followed by Bowling Green and Kent State with two votes each.
"It is always good to be recognized by your peers, but preseason accolades carry no weight," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. "The team that plays the best will be the last one standing holding the trophy."
The Cardinals finished third in the 2024 regular season standings and made a run to the MAC Tournament championship game. Ball State returns First Team All-MAC selection and MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Keegan Johnson and Second Team All-MAC First Baseman Blake Bevis among a group of 17 returners.
Johnson was named the MAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, and the Cardinals were also picked to win the conference by D1Baseball (link above).
The season opener is set for 11 a.m., on Friday against Towson at the Swig & Swine Classic at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C.
2025 MAC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
First Place votes in ( ) | *Coaches were not able to vote for themselves
- Ball State (6)- 95 points
- Kent State (2)- 84 points
- Miami (2)- 82 points
- Bowling Green (1)- 74 pointsÂ
- Western Michigan- 66 points
- Toledo- 59 points
- Northern Illinois- 39 points
- Ohio- 33 points
- Central Michigan- 32 points
- Eastern Michigan- 23 points
- Akron- 18 points
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