Dec. 19, 2011

TUCSON, Ariz.-- Stanford Baseball, with the potential for three first round picks in the 2012 draft, are rated No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball in its national preseason poll.

It is the highest ranking for the Cardinal program since it was rated No. 1 by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball in 2002 preseason and No. 6 by both publications prior to the start of the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

This year's club under 36th year head coach Mark Marquess return seven position starters and the majority of its weekend rotation. Headliners for the 2012 team included Baseball America's projected No. 1 pick, junior RHP Mark Appel as well as potential first round picks, preseason All-American third baseman Stephen Piscotty and infielder Kenny Diekroeger.

Stanford last season reached the NCAA Super Regional behind a 35-22 campaign.

Rounding out the preseason top-10 are Florida, South Carolina, Stanford, North Carolina, Texas, Texas A&M, Rice, Arkansas, Georgia Tech and TCU. Both Texas and Rice come to Sunken Diamond this spring. Seven points separate Florida, South Carolina and Stanford in the poll.

Other Pac-12 schools in the top-25 include No. 17 Arizona State, No. 19 UCLA, No. 20 Arizona, No. 22 California and No. 24 Oregon State.

Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top-40: Points 1. Florida (53-19) 497 2. South Carolina (55-14) 494 3. Stanford (35-22) 490 4. North Carolina (51-16) 488 5. Texas (49-19) 485 6. Texas A&M (47-22) 484 7. Rice (42-21) 482 8. Arkansas (40-22) 479 9. Georgia Tech. (42-21) 476 10. Texas Christian (43-19) 474 11. St. John's (36-22) 470 12. Louisiana St. (36-20) 468 13. Florida St. (46-19) 465 14. Miami, Fla. (38-23) 464 15. Louisville (32-29) 460 16. Oklahoma (41-19) 458 17. Arizona St. (43-18) 457 18. Georgia (33-32) 455 19. UCLA (35-24) 454 20. Arizona (39-21) 452 21. Cal. St. Fullerton (41-17) 449 22. California (38-23) 447 23. Vanderbilt (54-12) 445 24. Oregon St. (41-19) 443 25. Clemson (43-20) 437 26. Stetson (43-20) 435 27. Oregon (33-26-1) 432 28. Baylor (31-28) 430 29. U.C. Irvine (43-18) 425 30. Southern Miss. (39-19) 422 31. Missouri St. (33-23) 419 32. College of Charleston (39-22) 417 33. Virginia (56-12) 413 34. Georgia Southern (36-26) 412 35. Texas St. (41-23) 408 36. Central Florida (39-23) 406 37. Wichita St. (39-26) 403 38. Jacksonville (37-24) 400 39. Florida International (40-20-1) 397 40. Southern California (25-31) 395