Youngstown -- The Youngstown State baseball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League in 2011 in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches.
Defending regular-season champion Wright State was chosen as the preseason favorite, receiving three first-place votes and 32 points. Tournament champion Milwaukee also received three first-place votes but finished with 31 points to place second.
UIC earned the other first-place vote and was picked to finish third with 27 points, and Valparaiso was slated to finish fourth with 24 points.
YSU and Butler each received 13 points to finish in a tie-for-fifth, and Cleveland State was picked to finish seventh with seven points.
Senior outfielder Joe Iacobucci received recognition from the league's coaches in a preseason questionnaire conducted by CollegeBaseballInsider.com. Iacobucci was ranked as one of the top three pure hitters and the most under-rated hitter in the Horizon League.
Iacobucci is one of five seniors on the Penguins' roster this season, joining Cody Dearth, Greg Dissinger, Armani Johnson and Phil Klein. Fans will have a chance to meet the 2011 squad Saturday morning at the baseball program's First Pitch Breakfast at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Banquet Hall in Youngstown.
The Penguins will open their 2011 campaign on Feb. 18 at East Carolina.
2011 Horizon League Preseason Baseball Poll:
1. Wright State (3 first-place votes) -- 32 points
2. Milwaukee (3) -- 31
3. UIC (1) -- 27
4. Valparaiso -- 24
T5. Butler -- 13
T5. Youngstown State -- 13
7. Cleveland State -- 7
