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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UWF baseball team was picked to finish first in the 2022 Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll as announced by the league on Wednesday.
 
In a balanced top-half of the poll, UWF received five of 12 possible first place votes and a total of 136 polling points. This is the second-consecutive year the Argonauts were picked first. Delta State and Lee each had three first place votes and were second and third, respectively. Alabama Huntsville in fourth and Valdosta State in fifth had the remaining two first place votes and were in a near dead heat with just one point apart.
 
Shorter was voted sixth with West Georgia in seventh. The bottom half of the standings included Mississippi College, Auburn Montgomery, Montevallo, West Alabama, Union and Christian Brothers.
 
Senior first baseman Cullan O'Shea is among the 12-players on the preseason all-conference squad, which consists of returning all-league players from the previous season. In 2021, the Mobile, Alabama standout hit .339 and led the team with 11 home runs – five in the postseason, 55 runs, 17 doubles and a .620 slugging percentage. He was voted onto the Second Team All-GSC squad and is currently tied for eighth in UWF history with 14 homers and third with a .575 slugging pct.
 
UWF went 37-11 overall, 28-8 in GSC play and hosted the NCAA South Regional for the second time in program history in 2021. The Argonauts have won 25 of their last 29 3-game series in the past three seasons.
 
UWF will open the program's 42nd season overall, and 17th under head coach Mike Jeffcoat with a home series against Florida Southern, Feb. 4-6. The opener on Friday, Feb. 4 will begin at 5 p.m. with pregame tailgating beginning at 2:30 p.m. The Argos are ranked No. 27 in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll.
 
2022 GSC Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
1. West Florida (5) – 136 pts 
2. Delta State (3) – 126
3. Lee (3) – 114
4. Alabama Huntsville (1) – 110
5. Valdosta State (1) – 109
6. Shorter – 85
7. West Georgia – 76
8. Mississippi College – 72
9. Auburn Montgomery – 60
10. Montevallo – 43
11. West Alabama – 39
12. Union – 32
13. Christian Brothers – 12
NOTES: The head coaches voted in this poll. Teams received 12 points for a first place vote, 11 for a second place vote, etc. The head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. Number of first place votes in parenthesis.