Dec. 23, 2005

Complete Poll
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The Mizzou Baseball team has been ranked No. 14th in the nation in the Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top 40. The Tigers were not ranked in the final Collegiate Baseball poll of 2005 after going 40-23 last season and advancing to their third-straight NCAA Tournament.

Missouri will return eight of its nine position starters from last season along with its top two starting pitchers. Junior RHP Max Scherzer and junior OF Hunter Mense were named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers All-American team earlier this month.

Five Big 12 Conference teams are ranked in the poll including Texas, who opens the year ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball. Nebraska (No. 4), Baylor (No. 23) and Oklahoma (No. 29) are also among the Top 40.

The Tigers will open up the 2006 season against East Tennessee State at the Charleston Southern Tournament in Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 9. Missouri will open up the home portion of the 2006 schedule on March 1 against Illinois State at 4 p.m. at Taylor Stadium.