EDISON, NJ (Feb. 15, 2023) – Defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Champion, Canisius College, has been voted as the favorites to win a second-straight MAAC title in the 2023 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, while Canisius All-American Max Grant was named Preseason Player of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
The Golden Griffins received 116 points, earning seven first-place votes in the poll. Canisius went 29-25 overall and 15-9 in league play last year, leading to the program’s fourth overall championship. The Griffs went a perfect 4-0 at the 2022 MAAC Championship, scoring nine or more runs in all four games and winning by an average run margin of seven over the course of the tournament. Canisius returns 28 letterwinners from last season's championship roster, including preseason All-MAAC Team members Grant, Mike DeStefano, Matt Duffy, and Chris Pouliot.
2022 regular season champion Fairfield University, checked in at second-place in the poll with 108 points and two first-place votes. Coming in third-place was last season’s runner-up Rider University, which collected 93 points and one first-place vote, while Marist College garnered 88 points and the final available first-place vote, and Niagara University rounded out the top-five with 73 points.
Grant was selected as the 2023 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year and was the lone player unanimously voted to the Preseason All-MAAC Team. The 2022 MAAC Player of the Year last season, Grant was All-MAAC First Team, MAAC All-Championship Team, ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-American, and NCBWA Second Team All-American. He paced the league with 90 hits and led the conference while ranking among the top-15 in the nation with a .398 batting average. Grant also hit 10 home runs, drove in 53 RBI, scored 56 runs, and successfully stole seven bases. Ahead of the 2023 season, the junior infielder has also been named 2023 Collegiate Baseball Preseason Second Team All-American and 2023 NCBWA Third Team All-American.
The rest of the Preseason All-MAAC Team and full Preseason Coaches’ Poll can be found below.
| 2023 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll |
| 1 |
Canisius |
116 (7) |
| 2 |
Fairfield |
108 (2) |
| 3 |
Rider |
93 (1) |
| 4 |
Marist |
88 (1) |
| 5 |
Niagara |
73 |
| 6 |
Manhattan |
71 |
| 7 |
Quinnipiac |
57 |
| T8 |
Mount St. Mary’s |
35 |
| T8 |
Siena |
35 |
| 10 |
Iona |
33 |
| 11 |
Saint Peter’s |
17 |
| Preseason Player of the Year |
| Max Grant – Canisius |
| Preseason All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Position |
Year |
Institution |
| Matt Ward |
Catcher |
RJr. |
Niagara |
| Brian Skettini |
Catcher |
Jr. |
Rider |
| Matt Bergevin |
First Base |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Luke Lesch |
First Base |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Max Grant* |
Second Base |
Jr. |
Canisius |
| Charlie Pagliarini |
Third Base |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Dylan Hoy |
Short Stop |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Pete Durocher |
Outfield |
Sr. |
Manhattan |
| Anthony Donofrio |
Outfield |
Sr. |
Quinnipiac |
| Brendan O'Donnell |
Outfield |
Sr. |
Rider |
| Matt Duffy |
Pitcher |
Jr. |
Canisius |
| Chris Pouliot |
Pitcher |
Sr. |
Canisius |
| Jake Noviello |
Pitcher |
Gr. |
Fairfield |
| Marcus Cashman |
Pitcher |
Sr. |
Niagara |
| Frank Doelling |
Pitcher |
Gr. |
Rider |
| Matt Venuto |
Designated Hitter |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Mike DeStefano |
Utility |
Sr. |
Canisius |
*Denotes unanimous selection
The 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship returns to Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY for the second straight year. The six-team double elimination tournament, will take place from May 24 through 27. For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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