INDIANAPOLIS – After making it to the title round of the NCAA Midwest Regional, Ohio Dominican starts the new spring with a target on its back topping the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour. 
 
The Panthers headline a strong list of 13 schools vying for the conference championship trophy and unlike 2018, there will not be divisional standings this season. 
 
That throws a small wrinkle into the playoff race, but there’s no doubt each team wants to celebrate the hard work and grind of the regular season with a chance to play at PRASCO Park for the conference tournament.  
 
Four different schools received at least one first-place vote, but reigning North Division champ ODU paced everyone with seven. The overall balloting was very close at the top and Kentucky Wesleyan’s runner-up finish in Great Midwest Championship makes the Panthers a conversation starter as a title contender. 
 
Ohio Dominican’s Justin Childers has moved on to his professional career in the Detroit Tigers organization while two-time Great Midwest Pitcher of the Year Roscoe Blackburn has also graduated from Malone. 
 
There is plenty of talent for the preseason favorite Panthers to complete their unfinished business from the 2018 conference tournament. ODU proved more than deserving with an at-large NCAA tourney selection, but would love to add the title of conference champ to its resume. 
 
ODU finished with 136 points from the league’s coaches in the voting and KWC was a very close second with 130. Kentucky Wesleyan received four total first-place votes and was the South Division champ last spring.  
 
Pouring out of the third-base dugout is a memory the Hillsdale program will never forget as the tournament winner in 2018; the NCAA Midwest Regional-qualifying Chargers were polled third following their impressive way to the top of the conference championship bracket. 
 
Hillsdale received one first-place vote along with Malone. The Pioneers enjoyed a 34-win season last year and finished runner-up in the North. 
 
All six teams from the disbanded North Division finished with league records over .500, including Findlay, Walsh and Lake Erie. Trevecca Nazarene has produced impressive postseason showings and was picked fifth overall in this year’s poll with 101 points. Joining TNU from last year’s South Division as playoff qualifiers is Ohio Valley, polled ninth. 
 
Tiffin joins the fold with considerable talent and the Dragons are bit of a wild card as fans await to see how their success translates into their new league. Alderson Broaddus, Cedarville and Davis & Elkins, have plenty of conference tournament experience and will be looking to get back to PRASCO once again. 


Great Midwest Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour
 

School	Points
1. Ohio Dominican (7 first-place votes)	136
2. Kentucky Wesleyan (4 first-place votes)	130
3. Hillsdale (1 first-place vote)	120
4. Malone (1 first-place vote)	105
5. Trevecca Nazarene	101
6. Walsh	93
7. Findlay	77
8. Tiffin	72
9. Ohio Valley	52
10. Alderson Broaddus	45
11. Lake Erie	41
12. Cedarville	23
13. Davis & Elkins	19