Ralph R. Zobell | Posted: 9 Feb 2012 | Updated: 8 Nov 2020

Picked 7th in WCC Poll

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PROVO (February 10, 2012) --League newcomer BYU was picked to finish seventh in the West Coast Conference Preseason Baseball Poll.

The Cougars, who begin their season next week, balloted 28 votes from the WCC coaches, well behind leaders San Diego with 59, Gonzaga 57 and San Francisco at 51, each of whom received first place votes.  Loyola Marymount was fifth at 37, followed by Pepperdine and Saint Mary’s at 30, BYU 28, Portland 23 and Santa Clara with nine votes.

“It’s a new league for us and we look forward to the season,” said BYU coach Vance Law.  “We haven’t played all of these schools in a while, so it’s understandable where we’ve been picked. I’m not sure they know as much about our team and our tradition. I don’t anticipate finishing seventh.”

None of the Cougars were named to the WCC Preseason All-Conference team,  although BYU has three sophomores on its current squad who were named to Freshman All-America teams,.  Those sophomores are outfielder Jaycob Brugman and pitchers Desmond Poulson and Marc Oslund.

Brugman was also named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year last season.  Oslund was a Freshman All-America selection in 2009 before serving a mission to North Carolina.  BYU has 22 lettermen returning.

BYU opens its season next week with a three-game series at the University of California, Riverside.  The Cougars open WCC play the following week at Saint Mary’s and host Loyola Marymount on April 5 when league play comes to Provo.

2012 WEST COAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
Team (First Place Votes)
Points
San Diego (5)
59
Gonzaga (3)
57
San Francisco (1)
51
Loyola Marymount
37
Pepperdine
30
Saint Mary’s
30
BYU
28
Portland
23
Santa Clara
9
 
2012 PRESEASON ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM
Player
School
Yr.
Pos.
Kris Bryant
San Diego
So.
3B/1B
Troy Channing
Saint Mary’s
Sr.
IF
Turner Gill
Portland
So.
IF/OF
Marco Gonzales
Gonzaga
So.
IF
Bryan Haar
San Diego
Sr.
UTIL
Brenden Kalfus
Saint Mary’s
Jr.
OF
Corey LeVier
San Diego
Sr.
1B/OF
Matt Lowenstein
Loyola Marymount
Jr.
OF
Joe Sever
Pepperdine
Jr.
IF
Patrick Wisdom
Saint Mary’s
Jr.
INF
 
Pitcher
School
Yr.
P
Martin Agosta
Saint Mary’s
Jr.
RHP
Kyle Barraclough
Saint Mary’s
Sr.
RHP
Dylan Covey
San Diego
So.
RHP
Marco Gonzales
Gonzaga
So.
LHP
Kyle Kraus
Portland
Sr.
RHP

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