Feb. 12, 2003

BALTIMORE, MD - After winning a fifth Centennial Conference title and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in 2002, the Johns Hopkins baseball team is ranked 24th in the 2003 ABCA/Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division III Preseason Poll. The Blue Jays, who posted a 35-9 record last season, are the lone Centennial Conference school in the poll. Hopkins was ranked 21st in the preseason poll as well as the final poll in 2002.

Senior co-captains Jeremy Brown (Baltimore, MD/McDonogh School) and Joe Urban (Nanticoke, PA/Bishop Hoban) lead a talented squad that set the school record for home runs with 57 and fell one victory shy of tying the school record for wins in a season. The Blue Jays, who averaged 9.09 runs per game last season, return nine players who hit three or more home runs and 10 players that batted .333 or better. The pitching staff, which posted a 3.44 combined ERA a year ago, returns six players who saw action in three or more games.

The Blue Jays open the season Saturday, February 22 as Hopkins travels to face 29th ranked Salisbury at 1:00 p.m. JHU is scheduled to face six teams ranked in the preseason poll, including the College of New Jersey, Wooster, Lakeland, York, Ithaca, and Salisbury.

2003 ABCA/Collegiate Baseball
NCAA Division III Preseason Poll

1. Marietta (Ohio) 41-9-1; 2. Eastern Connecticut State 39-11-1; 3. New Jersey 36-14; 4. Rensselaer (N.Y.) 33-11; 5. Wooster (Ohio) 38-6; 6. Wheaton (Mass.) 37-9-1; 7t. Concordia (Texas) 35-13; 7t. Carthage (Wis.) 34-11; 9. Aurora (Ill.) 34-6; 10. Methodist (N.C.) 39-9-1; 11. Cal Lutheran 30-10; 12. Wis.-Stevens Point 37-10; 13. Ohio Wesleyan 35-13; 14. Dallas (Texas) 33-3; 15. St. Thomas (Minn.) 31-12; 16. Christopher Newport (Va.) 38-16; 17t. Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) 36-7; 17t. Alvernia (Pa.) 36-10; 19. Lakeland (Wis.) 34-16-1; 20. York (Pa.) 34-15; 21. Texas Lutheran 33-6; 22. Ripon (Wis.) 27-9; 23. Kean (N.J.) 33-12; 24. Johns Hopkins (Md.) 35-9; 25. Cortland (N.Y.) State 31-11; 26. Ithaca (N.Y.) 27-18; 27. William Paterson (N.J.) 26-13; 28. Wartburg (Iowa) 29-15; 29. Salisbury (Md.) 30-13-3; 30. Trinity (Texas) 37-11.