Feb. 16, 2009
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina was selected to finish in fourth place in the Eastern Division in the 2009 SEC Preseason Baseball Coaches’ Poll that was released on Monday, Feb. 16. Carolina has finished in the upper half of the SEC Eastern Division 12 of 17 seasons since joining the league including nine of 12 years under head coach Ray Tanner. The 2009 season begins on Saturday, Feb. 21 as the Gamecocks host a three-game series with Duquesne at Carolina Stadium. The opening weekend marks the first three games at South Carolina’s new baseball facility.
LSU is the choice to win the 2009 SEC championship with 10 of 11 votes from the head coaches with Georgia selected to win the SEC East as well. In addition to picking a preseason champion, the head coaches voted a predicted order of finish in the SEC Eastern and Western Divisions. Points were compiled on a 6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for each division. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team.
2009 SEC COACHES PRESEASON POLL RESULTS
EASTERN DIVISION
1. Georgia (10)62
2. Florida (2) 52
3. Vanderbilt 40
4. S. Carolina 37
5. Tennessee 28
6. Kentucky 27
WESTERN DIVISION
1. LSU (10) 65
2. Ole Miss (2)54
3. Alabama 44
4. Arkansas 38
5. Auburn 28
6. Miss. State 18
SEC Champion: LSU – (Voting Totals: LSU 10, Ole Miss 1, Georgia 1)
SOUTH CAROLINA'S SEC HISTORYYEAR RECORD DIV. FINISH1992 13-11 2nd1993 15-10-1 2nd1994 11-15 4th1995 12-14 3rd1996 13-17 5thUNDER COACH Ray Tanner1997 13-17 4th1998 19-10 2nd1999 15-15 1st2000 25-5 1st2001 17-13 3rd2002 21-8 1st2003 19-11 1st2004 17-13 2nd2005 16-14 2nd2006 15-15 4th2007 17-13 2nd2008 15-15 5th
Overall Record: 273-216-1 (.558)Under Tanner: 209-149 (.584)SEC EAST TITLES (4)1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS (2)2000, 2002
SEC TOURNAMENT TITLE (1)2004
EASTERN DIVISION FINISHES Total Tanner Years1st Place 4 42nd Place 6 43rd Place 2 14th Place 3 25th Place 2 16th Place 0 0
