The Baseball Observer Feb 2015 vol 1 | Page 65

CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PRESEASON No. 1 RANKING in NAIA TOP 25 POLL Source: Cumberland Univ Athletics LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland is ranked No. 1 in the 2015 NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Preseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Tuesday. The Bulldogs collected 19-of-20 firstplace votes and 560 total points in route to its sixth No. 1 ranking since 2000. Cumberland, which finished 2014 with a 49-20 record, won its third all-time championship with a 3-0 win against Lewis-Clark State. With the victory, the Bulldogs became the first No. 10 seed to ever win the World Series since the current seeding format was established in 2003. NAIA Hall of Famer Woody Hunt is in his 34th season as the head coach of the Bulldogs. The legendary skipper is one of six coaches in NAIA history to register 1,000 career wins. Hunt heads into the 2015 season with a 1,451-608-5 overall record. Cumberland returns seven position letterwinners and two starters – outfielder Justin Byrd and catcher Tyler Alford – as well as six pitching letterwinners, including seniors Clint Meadows, Stevie Smith and Marc Monroe. The Bulldogs play seven teams in the Preseason Top 25, including opening the season February 5 against Missouri Baptist and Feb. 7 at Belhaven University, with both of those games in Jackson, Miss .