INDIANAPOLIS- The predicted rank order by the league’s coaches for the spring season has been filed with the release of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour.
The 2025 spring season promises to be another entertaining journey with the conference tournament at PRASCO Park in Mason, Ohio. Eight playoff qualifiers will make the postseason while competing for bids to the NCAA Regional.
This season, the conference is split into two divisions, a North Division, and a South Division, with each containing six teams.
Favored in the North Division are the Ashland Eagles with 11 first-place votes and 67 points. Ashland finished the 2024 season 42-15 and earned an at-large bid to the Midwest Regional. The Eagles are currently ranked No. 14 in the latest D2 Baseball Coaches Poll. 2024 Coach of the Year John Schaly returns all four first team all-conference selections from last season, including the pitching duo of Cam Scott and Marshall Leishman. Scott returns after leading the team in run average (2.69), while finishing the year with a perfect 8-0 record in 14 starts. He also hit .361 with 17 runs scored. Leishman had a breakout season, leading the Eagles in wins (9), innings pitched ( 86 1/3), and strikeouts (94). In addition to Leishman and Scott, Jeremiah Cangelosi and Cam Miller return in hopes to celebrate another post-season run.
Northwood received one first-place vote in the North Division. The Timberwolves will look to replace several all-conference selections under second year head coach Brad Baldwin. Northwood finished 33-23 last season.
Tiffin edged out Findlay by one point. The Dragons advanced to the Great Midwest Championship final last season before falling to Trevecca Nazarene.
Findlay, Hillsdale, and Lake Erie round out teams in the North Division, respectively.
In the South, Walsh received seven first-place votes and a total of 62 points on the ballot. Brodey Acres is a top returner for head coach Tim Mead. Acres was selected as a second-team honoree as a third baseman. He started in all 50 games for the Cavaliers, leading the team in batting average with a .352 average while driving in 44 runs.
Ohio Dominican was voted preseason runner-up in the South Division. The Panthers received three first-place votes after posting a 27-23 record last season. CJ Dean returned for Ohio Dominican after earning a spot on the second-team all-conference list as an outfielder.
Kentucky Wesleyan is polled third with two first-place votes and 52 points.
Cedarville, Thomas More, and Malone were slotted at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 in the South.
Conference play will open up on March 14.
2025 Great Midwest Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll Presented by Under Armour
NORTH DIVISION
| Team |
Points |
| 1. Ashland (11) |
67 |
| 2. Northwood (1) |
57 |
| 3. Tiffin |
42 |
| 4. Findlay |
41 |
| 5. Hillsdale |
25 |
| 6. Lake Erie |
20 |
SOUTH DIVISION
| Team |
Points |
| 1. Walsh (7) |
62 |
| 2. Ohio Dominican (3) |
57 |
| 3. Kentucky Wesleyan (2) |
52 |
| 4. Cedarville |
33 |
| 5. Thomas More |
27 |
| 6. Malone |
22 |