INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) has announced the 2023 preseason baseball poll, with William Jewell selected eighth overall.
The preseason poll is determined by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
The Cardinals return a key core but will have to replace major production in the middle of the lineup, led by that of 2022 All-American
Anthony Hansen. Hansen, All-GLVC second team first baseman
Cameron Fliege and right fielder
Chase Elias combined for 198 hits, 149 RBI, 155 runs scored and 16 home runs as seniors last spring.
Leading the list of returners is All-GLVC and All-Region performer
Alex Epp at shortstop. As a junior, he hit a team best .409 with an NCAA era record 81 hits including nine home runs and was the toughest player in all of Division II to strikeout, doing so just eight times.
Also back is third baseman
Cole Conner who hit .374 with 46 RBI and 2021 All-GLVC honoree
Jake Wilcox who scored 61 runs while hitting .355. Center fielder
Quincy Aldrich returns for his fifth collegiate season, and third with the Cardinals, after starting 50 games last year while utility man
Drew Reed is also back after hitting .294 with seven doubles and splitting time at second base and behind the plate in 2022.
On the mound, the two Jakes,
Jake Sawyer and
Jake MacDonald lead the staff into the 2023 season, combining for a 12-5 record, 92 strikeouts and both posting an ERA under 4.85.
Jackson Bodinson is also back after going 7-1 with 55 strikeouts in his first season as a full-time starter. Reliever
Drew Dant also returns to the staff after a junior season that saw him set the NCAA era single season record with eight saves over 42.2 innings of work.
The Cardinals open the season on February 17 with a three-game series at Northeastern Oklahoma.
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Illinois Springfield |
142 (10) |
| 2. |
Quincy |
130 (2) |
| 3. |
Drury |
114 (1) |
| 4. |
Maryville |
112 |
| 5. |
Lewis |
100 |
| 6. |
Indianapolis |
93 |
| 7. |
Missouri S&T |
71 |
| 8. |
William Jewell |
63 |
| 9. |
McKendree |
55 |
| 10. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
44 |
| 11. |
Rockhurst |
37 |
| 12. |
Truman State |
35 |
| 13. |
Southwest Baptist |
18 |
