TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Baseball) – The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced the 2024 NJCAA Region 8 Division II Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Monday morning. Lake-Sumter baseball ranked fourth, tied with South Florida State College, with 43 points.
Teams are ranked by the opposing Division II coaches and two additional votes by the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Baseball Chair and the FCSAA Associate Director.
The full coaches' poll is listed below.
1. St. Johns River State College (6) – 69 pts
2. Palm Beach State College – 60 pts
3. Pasco-Hernando State College (1) – 59 pts
t4. Lake-Sumter State College – 43 pts
t4. South Florida State College – 43 pts
6. Florida State College at Jacksonville – 41 pts
During the regular season, the Region 8 coaches' polls will be announced on Mondays beginning February 5. Region 8 Player of the Week announcements will follow on Tuesdays beginning January 30.
The Lakehawks open the 2024 season at Santa Fe College on Friday afternoon followed by a double header at home on Saturday afternoon against Millenia Atlantic University.
Sun-Lakes Conference play will kick off in late February. The Lakehawks will play each conference opponent in two three-game series for a total of six regular season games accounting for post-season placement.
The 2024 FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Championship is set for May 2-5. The host site will be determined by the Sun-Lakes Conference Champions, the team that has the best regular season record.
Head Coach Rich Billings in his 14th season with the Lakehawks shared some thoughts for the upcoming season, "I am reall excited about the spring! This is a very passionate group of young men who will be as good as they chose to be.
"If their work ethic is any indication of their on-field success, I believe they will win a lot of games this year. They work relentlessly toward improvement and, as a coach, I could not as for a better group.
"They have a chance to bring an electricity to our baseball program that have not experienced in a long time here at Lake-Sumter State College," said Coach Billings.
Up next for the Lakehawks
Lakehawk baseball will travel to Gainesville, Fla. on Friday, January 26 at Santa Fe College at 2:00 p.m.
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