Golden Griffins Selected as Preseason Baseball Favorite
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. – Canisius College was selected as the favorite to win the 2015 MAAC baseball regular season, as voted by the league’s eleven head coaches. Canisius, last season’s MAAC Championship runner-up, earned 115 points with eight first place votes to top Fairfield University, who earned 107 points and two first place votes.
Canisius finished their 2014 campaign with a 40-16 record overall and a conference record of 20-4, while going 10-2 at home in the MAAC to become regular season champions. The Griffs finished their season falling to Siena College 5-1 in the 2014 MAAC Championship title game. During the 2014 season, Canisius earned the top seed and led the MAAC in hitting, sporting a .314 batting average, tied for the league lead in pitching with a 3.77 earned run average and topped the conference in defense with a .973 fielding percentage. The Griffs hit 24 home runs and scored 410 runs over the course of the season. Canisius players Rohn Pierce and Connor Panas were named the 2014 MAAC Pitcher and Player of the Year respectively, while Coach Mike McRae was named the 2014 MAAC Coach of the Year. Eight Griffs players were named to All-MAAC teams.
Canisius’ Connor Panas was chosen as the 2015 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. In the 2014 campaign, the senior third basemen from Toronto, Ontario, earned All-American honors twice by being named a Louisville Slugger Second-Team All-American and ABCA Third-Team All-American. During the 2014 season, he led the MAAC with six home runs, 51 RBI’s, and a .574 slugging percentage. He was named an ECAC Division I First-Team All-Star and ABCA Northeast All-Region First Team selection. Panas was named the 2014 MAAC Player of the Year and was selected as a unanimous choice to the All-MAAC First Team. Panas was only one of four players in the country to record a .350 batting average, 50 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. In the classroom, he owns a 3.77 grade point average which earned him a spot on the MAAC All-Academic Team, Capital One Second-Team Academic All-American, and Capital One Academic All-District First Team. Panas was named a Louisville Slugger preseason First-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball this season.
Fairfield University, finished second in the poll with 107 points. The Stags finished the 2014 season 15-8 in league play and held an overall mark of 32-24, falling to Canisius in the MAAC semi-finals after finishing the regular season as the number three seed. Fairfield finished 2014 tied for first in earned run average, ranked third in strikeouts and was second in the league with 18 home runs.
2014 MAAC champions Siena College were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll. This season the Saints return 2014 MAAC Rookie of the Year Dan Swain. The Saints, who went on to win the MAAC’s first NCAA tournament game in over eight years versus Dallas Baptist in an extra inning 9-8 victory, lead the league in double plays turned with 67 and also led in putouts and assists. Siena was second in the league in hits with 500 for the season and ranked second in walks drawn with 223 while attaining a 17-7 record in MAAC play.
Monmouth University finished third in the poll with 89 points, followed by Siena College with 83 points for fourth. Quinnipiac University finished fifth with 73 points and Manhattan College finished with 61 points for sixth. Rider University received 55 points good for seventh, while Marist College picked up 50 votes for eighth. Niagara University finished with 38 points for ninth, Iona College finished tenth with 35 points, and Saint Peter’s rounded out the poll receiving 20 points.
The preseason All-MAAC team infield consists of Canisius catcher Christ Conley, Quinnipiac University first basemen Vincent Guglietti, Saint Peter’s second basemen Rob Moore, Canisius shortstop Anthony Massicci and Canisius third basemen Connor Panas. Canisius’ Brett Siddall, Fairfield’s Jake Salpietro and Siena’s Dan Swain make up the outfielders. Manhattan’s Christian Santisteban was chosen as the designated hitter, while Rider’s Justin Thomas was chosen at the utility spot. Alex Godzak of Canisius and E.J. Ashworth of Fairfield make up the pitchers.
Preseason Coaches' Poll
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1.
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Canisius
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115
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2.
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Fairfield
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107
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3.
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Monmouth
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89
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4.
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Siena
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83
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5.
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Quinnipiac
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73
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6.
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Manhattan
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61
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7.
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Rider
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55
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8.
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Marist
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50
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9.
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Niagara
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38
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10.
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Iona
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35
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11.
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Saint Peter’s
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20
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Preseason All-MAAC Team
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Catcher
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Christ Conley
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Canisius
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First Base
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Vincent Guglietti
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Quinnipiac
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Second Base
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Rob Moore
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Saint Peter’s
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Shortstop
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Anthony Massicci
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Canisius
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Third Base
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Connor Panas
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Canisius
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Outfield
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Brett Siddall
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Canisius
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Outfield
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Jake Salpietro
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Fairfield
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Outfield
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Dan Swain
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Siena
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Designated Hitter
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Christian Santisteban
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Manhattan
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Utility
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Justin Thomas
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Rider
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Pitcher
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Alex Godzak
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Canisius
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Pitcher
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E.J. Ashworth
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Fairfield
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Preseason Player of the Year
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