Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Baseball Picked Second In Preseason Big 12 Poll
February 04, 2016 | Cowboy Baseball
IRVING, Texas — Oklahoma State was picked to finished second in the 2016 Big 12 Conference standings in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches, it was announced today by the conference office.
This year's poll marked the closest voting margin between the top three teams in Big 12 history with TCU topping the poll followed by the Cowboys and Texas. All three of those teams earned three first-place votes, marking the first time in conference preseason poll history that three or more teams received multiple first-place votes.
Furthermore, the two point separation between TCU and OSU ties for the closest in preseason history, along with the 2011 poll that separated Oklahoma and Texas by just two points.
The last time the Cowboys were picked to finish second in the preseason poll came in 2014, and OSU went on to claim a Big 12 championship that year.
The 2016 season marks OSU's fourth under head coach Josh Holliday, who has guided the Cowboys to a top-two finish in the conference in each of his first three seasons at the helm.
OSU is coming off a 2015 season in which it finished 38-20 and hosted an NCAA Regional for the second-straight year. The Cowboys were 14-8 in Big 12 play a year ago and return seven starters from that club, including All-Big 12 performers Donnie Walton, Ryan Sluder and Corey Hassel.
2016 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll
1. TCU (3) 57
2. Oklahoma State (3) 55
3. Texas (3) 53
4. Oklahoma 45
5. Texas Tech 38
6. West Virginia 26
7. Kansas 18
Kansas State 18
9. Baylor 14
First-place votes in parentheses. Coaches are not permitted to vote for own team.
This year's poll marked the closest voting margin between the top three teams in Big 12 history with TCU topping the poll followed by the Cowboys and Texas. All three of those teams earned three first-place votes, marking the first time in conference preseason poll history that three or more teams received multiple first-place votes.
Furthermore, the two point separation between TCU and OSU ties for the closest in preseason history, along with the 2011 poll that separated Oklahoma and Texas by just two points.
The last time the Cowboys were picked to finish second in the preseason poll came in 2014, and OSU went on to claim a Big 12 championship that year.
The 2016 season marks OSU's fourth under head coach Josh Holliday, who has guided the Cowboys to a top-two finish in the conference in each of his first three seasons at the helm.
OSU is coming off a 2015 season in which it finished 38-20 and hosted an NCAA Regional for the second-straight year. The Cowboys were 14-8 in Big 12 play a year ago and return seven starters from that club, including All-Big 12 performers Donnie Walton, Ryan Sluder and Corey Hassel.
2016 Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll
1. TCU (3) 57
2. Oklahoma State (3) 55
3. Texas (3) 53
4. Oklahoma 45
5. Texas Tech 38
6. West Virginia 26
7. Kansas 18
Kansas State 18
9. Baylor 14
First-place votes in parentheses. Coaches are not permitted to vote for own team.
Players Mentioned
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