Jan. 31, 2006

Columbia, S.C. –
The University of South Carolina baseball team has been selected to finish second in the SEC Eastern Division in the 2006 SEC Preseason Coaches poll as voted by the league’s 12 baseball coaches. Florida was selected to win the SEC East and the overall championship. Mississippi State was predicted to win the SEC West. Carolina opens its 2006 season on Friday, Feb. 10 with a three-game series with Elon at Sarge Frye Field. First pitch on opening day is set for 3 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday contests slated for 1:30 p.m. Live audio broadcast with Tommy Moody and live gametracker stats will be available at uscsports.com. Gamecock fans will be able to listen to all 56 regular season games this season on the internet at uscsports.com.

Points for the preseason poll were compiled on a 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.

Eastern Division Predictions
Team — Pts. — ’05 SEC Rec/Finish
1. Florida (11) — 66 — 20-10/1st
2. South Carolina (1) — 55 — 16-14/3rd
3. Tennessee — 46 — 18-11/2nd
4. Vanderbilt — 30 — 13-17/4th
5. Georgia — 29 — 12-17/5th
6. Kentucky — 17 — 7-22/6th

Western Division Predictions
Team — Pts. — ’05 SEC Rec/Finish
1. Mississippi State (5) — 54 — 13-16/4th
2. LSU (3) — 51 — 18-12/T1st
3. Arkansas (3) — 49 — 13-17/T5th
4. Alabama (1) — 41 — 17-13/3rd
5. Ole Miss — 34 — 18-12/T1st
6. Auburn — 17 — 13-17T5th

()- First Place Votes

SEC Champion: Florida (8); LSU (3); Arkansas (1)

Over the last six years, Carolina owns the third highest win total in NCAA Division I baseball with a 301-110 record. The Gamecocks have made three trips to the College World Series (2002, 2003, 2004), reached five NCAA Super Regionals (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004), captured three SEC Eastern Division titles (2000, 2002, 2003), won two SEC regular season championships (2000, 2002) and earned one SEC Tournament title (2004).