BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The University of West Florida baseball team was picked sixth in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches Poll along with two preseason all-conference selections that was announced Thursday (Jan. 26).
 
UWF received one first place vote and tallied a total of 96 polling points. Delta State is at the top of the list with 130 points and five first place votes followed by Lee (127) with six first place votes. Montevallo was selected third (122) along with a first place vote.
 
The team entered the 2022 Gulf South Tournament as the seventh seed and concluded the season 22-24 with a 15-13 conference record.
 
Pensacola, Fla. native Trent Jeffcoat and senior pitcher Salvatore Ferro were named Preseason All-GSC Team after landing All-GSC Second Team last season. Jeffcoat led the team with 49 runs and a .371 batting average – finished with 24 RBIs and 21 stolen bases off 24 attempts.
 
Ferro went 6-2 on the mound with 13 starts and a 3.36 ERA (second best in the conference) in his first season with the Argos. In 77.2 innings pitches, the left-handed pitcher had 58 strikeouts and one complete game.
 
Sophomores Jacob Bailey, Jacob Heath and Jackson Grabsky look to begin their first season with UWF and are on the GSC's Newcomer Watchlist for the program.
 
The Collegiate Baseball Newspaper released their preseason top-40 and UWF is receiving votes among the list. The poll, voted on by the coaches of each of the eight NCAA Division II regions, features 40 teams during the preseason poll and necks down to 30 during the regular season.
 
The Argos will kick off the season on the road in Lakeland, Fla. Feb. 4, under head coach Mike Jeffcoat who enters his 18^th season with the program. The home opener will take place at Jim Spooner Field Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. in a three-game series against Rollins.
 
2023 GSC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes ( )
1. Delta State (5) – 130 pts
2. Lee (6) – 127 
3. Montevallo (1) – 122
4. Valdosta State – 112
5. Alabama Huntsville – 97 
6. West Florida (1) – 96
7. Auburn Montgomery – 83
8. Shorter – 60
9. West Georgia – 56
10. Mississippi College – 46
11. West Alabama – 40
12. Union – 33
13. Christian Brothers – 12