BREVARD, N.C. – The USA South Conference has announced its 2020 preseason baseball coaches poll, pegging the Brevard College Tornados 12^th in the annual poll.

Defending USA South Conference Baseball Tournament Champion LaGrange College was picked to defend its crown, receiving seven first-place votes and 134 points in the tabulation. Methodist University placed second with four first-place votes and 131 points, while Pfeiffer University received a first-place vote and finished third in the poll. Pfeiffer and Brevard are in their final season of NCAA DIII transition and are ineligible for the USA South Baseball Tournament, but both have the opportunity to enter the ECAC Baseball Championships at the conclusion of the regular season, depending on overall final record.

Piedmont College, who is the defending USA South Baseball Regular Season Champions, finished fourth in the poll. Brevard hosts Piedmont in a three-game, three-day series from Friday-Sunday, February 21-23 at Gil Coan Field.

LaGrange, Methodist, and Piedmont all appeared in the "Others Receiving Votes" category on D3Baseball.com's Preseason Top 25.

Huntingdon College received the lone remaining first-place vote and finished fifth-place in the poll. One of the main highlights of the 2019 season came when the Tornados defeated then-nationally-ranked Huntingdon at Gil Coan Field. BC triumphed over the Hawks, 2-1, thanks to an eight-inning gem hurled by returning junior right-handed pitcher Ben Melton.

Maryville College (sixth, 82 points), NC Wesleyan College (seventh, 80 points), and Greensboro College (eighth, 75 points) rounded out the top eight positions that qualify for the USA South Tournament. Covenant College finished just outside the top-eight in ninth place, while William Peace University was selected 10^th with 42 points. Brevard kicks off the 2020 regular season with a three-game series against the William Peace Pacers at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, beginning with a Saturday, February 8 doubleheader at 2 and 5 p.m.

Averett University finished slightly ahead of the Tornados in 11^th place, while Berea College was picked 13^th.

The Tornados - led by the first-year staff of Head Coach Mike Victory, Assistant Coach Rob Julian, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Steve Hucke - return a majority of their 2019 squad along with several key new contributors. Senior right-hander pitcher Kross Robinson, who was a USA South All-Conference Third Team selection in 2019, led BC a season ago with 60 strikeouts while junior right-hander Melton led Tornado starting pitchers with a 4.39 ERA in a team-high 55.1 innings pitched.

Brevard returns numerous contributors on its offense as well. Senior infielder Ryan Roon led all Tornados with 47 hits and a .333 batting average, while junior infielder JJ Wilkes drove in a team-high 24 RBI's and had the most extra-base hits out of BC's returning offense.

To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like 'Brevard College Athletics' on Facebook.  In addition, follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.

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