LOS ANGELES – The UCLA baseball team was picked to finish first in the 2019 Preseason Pac-12 Coaches Poll, it was announced by the league on Monday morning. The poll is voted on by all 11 Pac-12 head coaches.
The Bruins received eight of 11 first place votes, leading all teams with 97 points. This is the third time in program history and the first since 2015 that the UCLA has been chosen to win the Pac-12.
Stanford finished second in the poll with two first place votes and 90 points overall. Defending national champion Oregon State had one first place vote and 85 points to finish third.
They were followed in succession by Arizona (67), Washington (60), Arizona State (59), Oregon (49), California (37), USC (32), Washington State (15), and Utah (14).
UCLA, which is ranked as high as No. 3 in national preseason polls, is coming off a 38-21 season and an appearance in the Minnesota Regional. The Bruins return a strong nucleus of players, including preseason All-Americans Chase Strumpf, Michael Toglia, and Jeremy Ydens. All-Pac-12 choice Ryan Garcia and freshman All-American Zach Pettway headline a deep pitching staff, while first rounder Matt McLain and right-handed pitchers Jesse Bergin and Sean Mullen make up part of the No. 4-ranked freshman class in the country.
UCLA officially opens the 2019 season at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Feb. 15 by hosting St. John's. Single-game and season tickets for the upcoming campaign are now available, and can be purchased by calling 310-UCLA-WIN or clicking here.In addition, tickets for the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic are now on sale. Don't miss a doubleheader of premier baseball, featuring top collegiate programs in UCLA, USC, Michigan, and Oklahoma State, at the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Mar. 10. For tickets, click here.
2019 Pac-12 Preseason Coaches' Poll
| Rank | Team (1st place votes) | Points |
| 1. | UCLA (8) | 97 |
| 2. | Stanford (2) | 90 |
| 3. | Oregon State | 85 |
| 4. | Arizona | 67 |
| 5. | Washington | 60 |
| 6. | Arizona State | 59 |
| 7. | Oregon | 49 |
| 8. | California | 37 |
| 9. | USC | 32 |
| 10. | Washington State | 15 |
| 11. | Utah | 14 |