The baseball team ranked 33rd this year in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll.

The team ranked 33rd in 2010 when it won the national championship, and in the past nine years it has ranked six times.

The Eagles start the season Feb. 19, with a three-game series against Grand Valley State University, which ranked 35th.

The season starts with a 10 non-conference games at home and then during spring break will play in Marietta, Georgia

USI will play 28 GLVC games and start conference play March 25, against Bellarmine University.

Individual players earned preseason honors as well.

Senior outfielder Kyle Kempf and senior third baseman Trent Gunn were named Midwest Region Preseason All-Americans by the same organization this year.

Drake McNamara, a sophomore outfielder, was named a Player to Watch and junior pitcher Colin Nowak was named a Newcomer to Watch.