With a little over a week to go until the Division II baseball season gets underway, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released their West Region Preseason Poll. The Division II West Region Team was also announced.
West Region Poll
Defending GNAC regular season and tournament champions Western Oregon will begin the season ranked 6th in the West after finishing the season 30-15 overall, 20-9 in conference play. Last season, the Wolves earned a spot in the the DII Baseball Tournament, losing to now-#1 ranked Cal State San Bernardino and now-#4 ranked Azusa Pacific. WOU’s season begins Feb. 1 versus #7 Fresno Pacific.
The GNAC runner-up from last season, Northwest Nazarene, begins the year ranked 9th. NNU finished 24-29 overall, 17-15 in league play and begins their 2024 campaign against #3 Point Loma on Feb. 1.
Montana State Billings received one vote as the Yellowjackets finished 4th in the GNAC last season, going 21-27, 12-18. MSUB begins their season Feb. 3rd at San Francisco State.
West Region Team
Three GNAC players earned spots on the NCBWA DII Preseason West Region Team
- OF Payton Flynn (Montana State Billings) .361/.430/.728, 16 doubles, 4 HRs
- SP Dylan Chalmers (Western Oregon) 7-1, 3.13 ERA, 1.18 WHIP
- RP Ryan Shipley (Western Oregon) 3-1, 5 SV, 2.48 ERA, 0.79 WHIP
