Jan. 5, 2006

Mizzou Baseball has received its highest ever preseason ranking, coming in at No. 10 in the Baseball America Preseason Poll released on Thursday. This marks the second time the Tigers have appeared in the preseason poll and the first since they were No. 19 in 1983.

Missouri finished the 2005 season ranked No. 21 by Baseball America after compiling a 40-23 record and advancing to its third-consecutive NCAA Regional.

Texas was ranked No. 1 in the poll and joins Missouri as the only Big 12 Conference teams in the Preseason Top 25.

Also released by Baseball America on Thursday was its preseason All-Americans, which included MU juniors Max Scherzer and Hunter Mense. Scherzer was named to the first team, while Mense was a third team selection.

Scherzer, the 2005 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year, was a second team All-American last year. He has also been named a first team preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and Collegiate Baseball.

Mense, who along with Scherzer played for Team USA last summer, was an All-Big 12 selection last year and was named to the NCBWA Preseason All-America third team this year.

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 start up the home portion of the 2006 schedule on March 1 against Illinois State at 4 p.m. at Taylor Stadium.

2006 BASEBALL AMERICA PRESEASON POLL
1.	Texas
2.	Clemson
3.	Florida
4.	Georgia Tech
5.	Cal State-Fullerton
6.	North Carolina
7.	Rice
8.	Oregon State
9.	Tennessee
10.	MISSOURI
11.	Pepperdine
12.	Tulane
13.	Mississippi State
14.	South Carolina
15.	Florida State
16.	Arizona State
17.	Southern California
18.	Arkansas
19.	Texas Christian
20.	Louisiana State
21.	Fresno State
22.	Long Beach State
23.	Mississippi
24.	North Carolina State
25.	California