Collegiate Baseball Fabulous 40 Preseason Poll

CONWAY - The Coastal Carolina baseball program, which played in its 13th NCAA Regional since 2001 this past spring, is ranked 33rd in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper's Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I preseason poll presented by Big League Chew bubble gum.

The Chanticleers, which rank ninth in the NCAA with 670 wins since 2000, were 39-21 last season and returns eight starters on offense and eight pitchers, including Freshman All-American Bobby Holmes (4-1, 4 saves) and Alex Cunningham (6-0). Coastal Carolina was additionally one of just five teams to finish 2015 ranked among the nation's top 20 in both RPI and strength of schedule.

Five Chanticleer opponents made the Fabulous 40 including defending national champion Virginia (#9), Georgia Tech (#21), North Carolina (#22), College of Charleston (#32) and South Carolina (#35). Also making the list is Big South member Winthrop (#38), however the Chants and Eagles are not scheduled to meet in the regular season in 2016. Other CCU opponents that received votes for the Fabulous 40 include Mississippi, Illinois, Ball State, UNC Wilmington, Radford, Liberty, Stetson, Wake Forest and Connecticut.

Coastal Carolina will open the season Feb. 19-21, hosting Appalachian State, N.C. State and Virginia.