ROSEMONT, Ill. – Maryland topped the Big Ten preseason coaches poll, which was released by the conference Wednesday afternoon.
Sophomore outfielder Marty Costes, sophomore second baseman Nick Dunn and junior shortstop Kevin Smith were named Players to Watch. Maryland is ranked in four preseason polls entering the 2017 season; D1Baseball (22), Baseball America (24), Perfect Game (23) and the NCBWA (25).
Costes exploded onto the scene as a freshman in 2016, leading the Terps with nine home runs en route to being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American.
The Baltimore native took his hot bat into the summer and was named a Cal Ripken League All-Star and All-League performer.
Dunn was named a freshman All-American after a breakout debut season that saw him lead Maryland with a .300 average and 16 doubles. He was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team and All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
The Sunbury, Pa., native took another step up this summer, earning Cape Cod All-League honors after batting .311 with 25 RBI and 11 extra-base hits.
Smith, a freshman All-American in 2015, started all 57 games of his sophomore campaign and batted .259 with eight home runs and 34 RBI. He slugged .409 and recorded nine doubles.
The East Greenbush, N.Y., native is coming off a spectacular summer in which he earned Cape Cod League All-Star and All-League honors. He led the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to a CCBL title, earning League Championship Series MVP honors in the process.
Smith was named the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year by Perfect Game, Baseball America and D1Baseball.com. Perfect Game and Baseball America named Smith a preseason first-team All-American, while D1Baseball tabbed Smith a preseason third-team All-American.
Maryland head coach John Szefc has led Maryland to 30-plus wins in each of his four seasons, and guided the Terps to consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearances in 2014 and 2015. He is eight wins away from becoming the fastest Maryland coach to reach 150 wins.
Maryland opens its season at the Clearwater Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. The Terps will take on Ball State in its opener on Friday, February 17 at 7 p.m. at Spectrum Field.
Full Poll/Honors
2017 BIG TEN BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL (top six teams)
1. 1. Maryland
2. 2. Michigan
3. 3. Nebraska
4. 4. Indiana
5. 5. Michigan State
6. T6. Iowa
T6. Minnesota
2017 BIG TEN BASEBALL PRESEASON HONORS LIST
Trent Hammond, INF, Sr., Illinois
Pat McInerney, INF, Sr., Illinois
Doran Turchin, OF, So., Illinois
Craig Dedelow, OF., Sr., Indiana
Luke Miller, So., INF, Indiana
Logan Sowers, OF, Jr., Indiana
Nick Gallagher, SP, Jr., Iowa
Mason McCoy, INF, Sr., Iowa
Robert Neustrom, OF, So., Iowa
Marty Costes, OF, So., Maryland
Nick Dunn, INF, So., Maryland
Kevin Smith, INF, Jr., Maryland
Jake Bivens, INF, Jr., Michigan
Oliver Jaskie, SP, Jr., Michigan
Drew Lugbauer, INF, Jr., Michigan
Matt Byars, C, Sr., Michigan State
Brandon Hughes, OF, Jr., Michigan State
Alex Troop, UTIL, So., Michigan State
Micah Coffey, INF, Jr., Minnesota
Lucas Gilbreath, SP, Jr., Minnesota
Terrin Vavra, INF, So., Minnesota
Chad Luensmann, RP, So., Nebraska
Jake Meyers, UTIL, Jr., Nebraska
Scott Schreiber, OF, Jr., Nebraska
Tommy Bordignon, SP, Jr., Northwestern
Matt Hopfner, INF/OF, Sr., Northwestern
Joe Schindler, SP, Sr., Northwestern
Seth Kinker, RP, Jr., Ohio State
Yianni Pavlopoulos, SP/RP, Jr., Ohio State
Jalen Washington, INF, Sr., Ohio State
Sal Biasi, SP, Jr., Penn State
Willie Burger, IF, So., Penn State
Nick Riotto, OF, Sr., Penn State
Tanner Andrews, SP, Jr., Purdue
Nick Dalesandro, C, So., Purdue
Jacson McGowan, UTIL, So., Purdue
Jawuan Harris, OF, So., Rutgers
John O'Reily, SP, Jr., Rutgers
Kevin Welsh, INF, Fr., Rutgers
-Terps-
