WASHINGTON – Saint Louis has been tabbed the preseason favorite to win the 2024 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball race, according to the preseason poll conducted by the league’s 12 head coaches and released on Wednesday.
The Billikens garnered 125 points in the poll with three first-place votes. Last year, SLU was 33-23 overall, went 15-9 in league play and was the runner up to champion George Mason in the A-10 Championship.
The defending champion Patriots were picked second in the poll and garnered two first place votes. Mason tallied 121 poll points after a season where they were sixth in the A-10 at 13-10 and 36-26 overall with a remarkable run through the A-10 Championship.
Saint Joseph’s, the 2023 Regular Season champion tallied 114 poll points and picked up a first-place vote. The Hawks finished last season at 17-7 in league play, two wins ahead of the rest of the league. SJU was 28-24-1 overall.
Davidson picked up two first place votes, 113 points and was slotted fourth in the poll. The Wildcats were second in the A-10 last season with a 30-24 overall record and 15-8 mark in league play. Davidson was the 2022 regular season champion.
VCU, the 2022 Atlantic 10 overall champion, recorded 97 poll points and two first place votes to earn the fifth spot in the poll. The black and gold Rams were 11-13 last season in the A-10 and 25-30 in all games.
Dayton got 96 points and a first-place vote to place sixth in the poll after tying Saint Louis for third last season with a 15-9 league record and a 26-34 overall mark. Rhode Island garnered the final first place vote and recorded 77 points to earn the seventh spot in the poll.
Richmond (63 points), George Washington (51) and Fordham (38) occupied spots eight, nine and 10, while Massachusetts and St. Bonaventure rounded out the 12-team poll.
The 2024 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship will be played at the new, state-of-the-art Capital One Park in Tyson’s, Va. The seven-team, double elimination tournament begins May 21 and the A-10 will crown its champion on May 25.
2024 Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
(Number of first place votes in parenthesis)
- Saint Louis – 125 (3)
- George Mason – 121 (2)
- Saint Joseph’s – 114 (1)
- Davidson – 113 (2)
- VCU – 97 (2)
- Dayton – 96 (1)
- Rhode Island – 77 (1)
- Richmond – 63
- George Washington – 51
- Fordham – 38
- Massachusetts – 22
- St. Bonaventure -- 19