LOS ANGELES - The UCLA Bruins have been ranked number nine in the USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll, it was announced today. This is the Bruins' highest preseason ranking and fifth top-15 ranking, coming in at number 10 in the Baseball America Preseason Top-25 and Collegiate Baseball News Preseason Top-40, number 11 in the D1Baseball Preseason Top-25 and number 14 in the Perfect Game USA Preseason Top-25.
In 2016, the Bruins will face a total of seven teams who are ranked in the USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll including Oregon State who comes in at number eight. The remaining six ranked teams UCLA will play are California (12), Oregon (15), Cal State Fullerton (16), Mississippi State (17), USC (20) and North Carolina (20).
The Bruins are one of five Pac-12 schools ranked in the preseason poll and come in second behind Oregon State.
The Bruins coaching staff welcomed the nation's No. 3 ranked recruiting class (as ranked by Baseball America) to Westwood this fall and will look for those players to make an immediate impact in 2016. The freshman class features five pitchers, one first baseman, two infielders and two outfielders.
UCLA also returns a strong group of veterans this season, including six position player starters from last year's team. The Bruins are coming off one of their best seasons in program history, recording a school-record 22 conference wins en route to the Pac-12 Championship and the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
UCLA opens the season with a three-game weekend series against the North Carolina Tar Heels beginning on February 19. To purchase single game tickets or season tickets, please visit uclabruins.com/tickets, call 310-UCLA-WIN, or stop by the Central Ticket Office Monday-Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
2016 USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank | Team | 2015 Record |
| 1 | Florida | 52-18 |
| 2 | Louisville | 47-18 |
| 3 | Vanderbilt | 51-21 |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 50-14 |
| 5 | LSU | 54-12 |
| 6 | Miami (Fla.) | 50-17 |
| 7 | Virginia | 44-24 |
| 8 | Oregon State | 39-18 |
| 9 | UCLA | 45-16 |
| 10 | Oklahoma State | 38-20 |
| 11 | TCU | 51-15 |
| 12 | California | 36-21 |
| 13 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 42-23 |
| 14 | Florida State | 44-21 |
| 15 | Oregon | 38-25 |
| 16 | Cal State Fullerton | 39-25 |
| 17 | Mississippi State | 24-30 |
| 18 | Houston | 43-20 |
| 19 | NC State | 36-23 |
| 20 | USC | 39-21 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 34-24 |
| 22 | Arkansas | 40-25 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 32-25 |
| 24 | Rice | 37-22 |
| 25 | Missouri State | 49-12 |