JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Eagles baseball team was slotted for a seventh place finish in the 2014 South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches' poll announced by the league Monday. 

"I don't know what anybody has," head coach Tom Griffin said of the poll. "I don't know what they brought in. I don't know about the guys returning and how improved they are. We're not going to pay attention to it." 

The Eagles finished sixth in the conference in 2013 with a 22-27 (13-14 SAC) record. The record did not hold C-N back in conference tournament play. Griffin's group reached the SAC title game where they fell to Lincoln Memorial 9-4. 

Defending SAC regular season champion Catawba received nine of the possible 11 first-place votes. The Indians were ranked 24^th nationally in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Newspaper national poll. 

Wingate and Tusculum tied for second place garnering 78 points while conference newcomer and 2013 NCAA Division II World Series participant Coker was picked fourth. The Cobras come in at 25^th nationally in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll. 

Newberry received two first-place votes and was selected fifth with Lincoln Memorial slotted sixth and Lenoir-Rhyne seated in eighth. Brevard, Anderson and Mars Hill round out the preseason standings. 

Carson-Newman has an experienced group of position players coming back. Five players started at least 40 games in 2013 led by 47 starts from third basemen Brandon Roberts (Davie, Fla.) and shortstop Bryan Everhart (Greeneville, Tenn.). Preseason second team All-SAC selection Bo Ausmus makes a move from second base where he started 46 games a year ago to left field. 

Griffin can rely on several players that racked up innings in 2013. Junior right-hander Quinton Yocom (Cable, Oh.) will anchor the starters after hurling 54.2 frames last season while senior Daniel Sharp (Johnson City, Tenn.) will be relied upon to duplicate a 2013 campaign that saw the righty tally a 2.22 ERA. 

"What's nice is having a group of veterans, guys who have been through it" Griffin said about how the team handles the start of the season. "It makes it much easier to handle adversity. As far as knowing what they have to do and how to do it, there's no question that's in place."

"The main thing is to make sure everyone is healthy," Griffin said about the start of the season. "When you first get into the spring, the arms have to get in shape. There are always some nagging injuries guys have to deal with." 

After a road game at Shorter on February 5, the Eagles open the home and conference slates at Brevard in a three-game series. First pitch on February 7 is at 2 p.m. with a doubleheader the next day beginning at noon. 

Coverage of the 2014 baseball season will be available on cneagles.com/live all season long with an audio feed for road games and a video and audio stream for home games.

2014 SAC Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll 

Team                                     Points (1^st-place votes)

1. Catawba                                            97 (9)

2. Tusculum                                            78

    Wingate                                             78

4. Coker                                                 76

5. Newberry                                           71 (2)

6. Lincoln Memorial                                 53

7. Carson-Newman                               49

8. Lenoir-Rhyne                                      42

9. Brevard                                               22

10. Anderson                                          20

11. Mars Hill                                            19