MASON CITY – The NIACC baseball team is ranked No. 12 in the NJCAA Division II preseason poll released on Monday.
NIACC, which has played in three of the last four NJCAA Division II World Series, was 47-16 last season. The Trojans won the NJCAA Region XI tournament and advanced to the World Series with a 2-1 series win over DCTC in the North Plains District Tournament.
The Trojans were ranked in all seven of the 2016 polls, including a No. 4 ranking in the May 18, 2016 poll.
Jones County (Mississippi) is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll and LSU-Eunice is ranked No. 2.
Southeastern CC is ranked No. 19.
NIACC returns 10 sophomores from last year’s team, including second-team all-region performer Brandon Michie, who hit .355 with 22 doubles and seven home runs, and Connor Enochs, who hit .305 with nine doubles and nine home runs.
NIACC opens its season Feb. 25 with a doubleheader at Kansas City (Kansas) CC.
NJCAA Division II poll
Jones County, LSU-Eunice, Mercer County, GateWay (Ariz.), Western Oklahoma State, Mesa, Parkland, East Central (Miss.), Patrick Henry, Northern Oklahoma (Tonkawa), NIACC, Pasco-Hernando State, Kellogg, Frederick, Northern Oklahoma-Enid, Hinds, Catawba Valley, Southeastern, Monroe CC.
NIACC’s recent history in the polls
2017
Jan. 23 – 12th
2016
Jan. 27 – 13th
April 13 – 14th
April 20 – 14th
April 27 – 12th
May 3 – 10th
May 11 – 7th
May 18 – 4th
