Baseball tabbed unanimous favorite by league coaches

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University baseball team has been chosen as the unanimous favorite in the 2019 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released on Friday.

Bryant has won each of the last seven NEC Regular-Season titles and eight of nine overall since playing a full league schedule in 2010. The Bulldogs have also claimed three NEC Tournament titles since becoming eligible for postseason play in 2013.

The Bulldogs are 198-61 (.764) against league opponents since the start of the 2010 season. Bryant has won 20+ league games six times and set an NEC record with 27 league victories in 2013.

This spring, the Black and Gold feature three former NEC Rookies of the Year, a former NEC Player of the Year and a former NEC Pitcher of the Year. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) was the first player in league history to win player and rookie of the year honors in the same season, while Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) (2017) and Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) (2016) are also former rookies of the year. Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) was the NEC Pitcher of the Year in 2017.

In addition, Bryant also welcomes back four others that earned All-NEC accolades a season ago; James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.), Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.), Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.) and Tyler Mattison (Fort Ann, N.Y.).

Defending league champion LIU Brooklyn was picked second in the poll, while Wagner and Mount St. Mary's rounded out the top four. Sacred Heart, Central Connecticut and Fairleigh Dickinson round out the poll.

The Bulldogs open the 2019 season with a three-game series at Abilene Christian starting on Feb. 15.