NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – VCU has been tabbed the preseason favorite to win the 2020 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball title, according to the preseason poll conducted by the league's 13 head coaches and released on Tuesday.
 
The Rams return All-Conference First Team infielders Liam Hibbits and Paul Witt and are led by 2019 A-10 Coach of the Year Shawn Stiffler. Hibbits was also named to Collegiate Baseball's Pre-Season All-American Third Team. Last year, VCU won 39 games overall and captured the Atlantic 10 regular season with a 19-5 record. The Rams had 162 total points in the poll and received eight of 13 possible first-place votes in the polling.
 
Defending champion Fordham was picked second in the poll with 149 points and garnered two first-place votes. The Rams welcome back 2019 Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year and All-Conference First Team selection John Stankiewicz and All-Rookie selection Jason Coules. Stankiewicz enters the season on the NCBWA Preseason All-America Second Team. Fordham was 37-24 overall and 15-9 in league play last year.
 
Dayton was picked to finished third with 144 points and three first-place votes. The Flyers were 16-8 in league play last year and 32-23-1 overall. All-Conference starting pitcher Hunter Wolfe returns, as does All-Rookie Benjamin Blackwell. Five Flyers were named to the Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-Atlantic 10 team.
 
Richmond was fourth in the poll with 123 points. All-Conference First Teamer Anthony Forte and All-Rookie team member Johnny Hipsman are both back for a Spiders' team that finished 28-25-1 overall and 13-8 in the A-10.
 
Davidson was picked fifth with 112 points, while 2018 champion Saint Louis was chosen sixth with 111 points. Rhode Island (97 points), George Washington (73) and Saint Joseph's (71) placed seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.
 
George Mason and Massachusetts were picked 10^th and 11^th respectively, and La Salle and St. Bonaventure rounded out the poll.
 
The 2020 baseball season opens on Valentine's Day, Friday, Feb. 14 with 11 teams in action. The 2020 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship will be hosted by VCU at The Diamond, May 20-23 in Richmond, Va.
 
2020 Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
(Number of first place votes in parenthesis)
1.            VCU                               162 (8)
2.            Fordham                       149 (2)
3.            Dayton                          144 (3)
4.            Richmond                      123
5.            Davidson                       112
6.            Saint Louis                     111
7.            Rhode Island                 97
8.            George Washington      73
9.            Saint Joseph's               71
10.        George Mason              52
11.        Massachusetts              37
12.        La Salle                          31
13.        St. Bonaventure            21