Feb. 8, 2013

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Walnut Creek, Calif. - The UCLA baseball team was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 Conference's preseason coaches' poll, as announced by the conference office on Friday.

Stanford was selected first in the preseason coaches' poll, earning 5 of 11 possible first-place votes to give them 93 points. UCLA garnered two first-place votes, giving them a total of 90 points. Oregon State, Oregon and Arizona rounded out the top five with Oregon State receiving the remaining three first-place votes.

Arizona State was picked to finish sixth, followed by California, USC and Washington State in that order. Washington and Utah were picked to finish 10th and 11th respectively.

UCLA, the two-time defending Pac-12 champions, has reached the postseason in six of the last seven years. The Bruins have also hosted an NCAA Regional the last three years and hosted an NCAA Super Regional in 2010 and 2012. UCLA reached its second College World Series in three years in 2012 after winning five consecutive games in the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds. Additionally, the Bruins posted a conference record of 20-10 last season, going 48-16 overall.

UCLA will kick off the 2013 season with a three-game series against Minnesota starting on Friday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The series will continue on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.

The Pac-12 preseason coaches' poll awards 10 points for a first-place vote, nine points for a second-place vote, eight points for a third-place vote and so on. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams.

2013 PAC-12 BASEBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL