Gators Voted Preseason SEC Favorite

The coaches have voted and selected the Gators as preseason favorites to win the 2018 Southeastern Conference title.

The league's 14 coaches voted in the 27th annual preseason SEC poll, released on Thursday, and Florida is the favorite to win the regular season title with 12 of the 14 votes.

In addition, a league-high three Gators were voted to the Preseason All-SEC First Team. No other school had more than one first-team selection.

Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan, entering his 11th season, leads the Gators into 2018 with a squad that returns 17 letter winners, five position starters and two of three weekend starters from last season's NCAA Championship team.

Juniors Michael Byrne, Jonathan India and Brady Singer were selected to the Preseason All-SEC First Team. Senior JJ Schwarz was selected as the Second Team catcher and DH/utility player.

In addition to picking a preseason SEC Champion, the league's head coaches voted a predicted order of finish in the SEC's Eastern and Western Divisions. In the East, the Gators were the favorite with 91 points and 13 first place votes.

Points were compiled on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Each coach also voted for one team as an overall conference champion.

Florida will open its season with a three-game series against Siena beginning Friday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Season and single-game tickets for the 2018 Gator Baseball season are on sale and can be purchased online through FloridaGators.com or by calling the Gator Ticket Office at 1-800-34-GATOR.

2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll

Eastern Division
1. Florida (13) – 91
2. Kentucky (1) - 74
3. Vanderbilt – 72
4. South Carolina – 50
5. Georgia – 41
6. Missouri – 32
7. Tennessee – 25

Western Division
1. Arkansas (12) – 90
2. Texas A&M (1) – 72
3. Ole Miss (1) – 62
4. LSU – 59
5. Mississippi State – 44
6. Auburn – 38
7. Alabama – 20

() – First place votes

SEC Champion: Florida (12), Arkansas (1), Texas A&M (1)

2018 SEC Baseball Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team

First Team
C: Grant Koch, Arkansas
1B: Julian Infante, Vanderbilt
2B: Cobie Vance, Alabama
SS: Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M
3B: Jonathan India, Florida
OF: Antoine Duplantis, LSU
OF: Tristan Pompey, Kentucky
OF: Jake Mangum, Mississippi State
DH/UTL: Michael Curry, Georgia
SP: Brady Singer, Florida
SP: Casey Mize, Auburn
RP: Michael Byrne, Florida

Second Team
C: JJ Schwarz, Florida
1B: Kameron Misner, Missouri
2B: Luke Becker, Kentucky
SS: Jax Biggers, Arkansas
3B: George Janca, Texas A&M
OF: Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
OF: Zach Watson, LSU
OF: Carlos Cortes, South Carolina
DH/UTL: JJ Schwarz, Florida
SP: Sean Hjelle, Kentucky
SP: Blaine Knight, Arkansas
RP: Dallas Woolfolk, Ole Miss

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